The Island of Galleno
by Isabelle
Summary: Set post Normal Again. The minute Buffy & Spike find each other their world is turned upside down. Even across the world forces prevent them from being with each other. B/S... just in case you didn't notice. COMPLETE SERIES
1. Prelude: Mission Complete

**Prelude: Mission Complete** -- prelude to The Island of Galleno (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas -- Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I need adventure so here it is. This is an angsty story. But like Joss said once, trust the story not the storyteller. This is B/S fiction, I write nor read any other. I decided on the no sex rule since we have plenty of Smut to cover the sex part *g*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

White was the color of the table that held the black suitcases that hosted the men who started the conversation.

"Where has he been spotted?" The commander asked his assistant.

"He's still in Sunnydale, sir. The Slayer is still protecting him," the oriental officer told his senior and handed him the newest files.

The commander looked over them, reading in between the lines, looking over the photos and snorting at the love-fest the vampire and the Slayer were caught in.

"Disturbing," he said. He looked up and threw a picture of the lone vampire on top of the table. "He'll be an excellent candidate." He stared at his other officer whose face was stone cold. "Agent Finn, were you not instructed to dispose of the hostile a few weeks ago?"

Riley Finn clenched his jaw and met his superior's eyes. "The Slayer said she would dispose of him, sir. I took her word."

The commander eyed the pictures of the vampire and the Slayer in different sexual positions. "She took care of him all right."

Some of the agents chuckled. "Did you know she was having relations with the creature?"

Riley fisted his hands to calm himself. "Yes, sir I did."

"So you failed, Agent Finn, did you not?"

Riley took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, sir I did."

The commander smiled and closed the files, handing them back to his assistant. "Then I suppose you'll make it right, won't you, Agent?"

"Yes, sir."

"Finn?"

"Yes sir."

"No mess-ups this time. Right?"

Riley nodded. "Consider it mission accomplished."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was about five foot eleven with light brown hair, square jaw and a soldier's body. Scored perfects in all physical, weapons, and combat tests. His father went to West Point and so did he, he was the government's pride and joy.

Loyal to the cause above all else.

He walked up to his commanding officer, and saluted.

"Agent Marshall reporting for duty, sir."

Riley looked up at the soldier before him and saluted in return. "At ease, Soldier."

Marshal relaxed.

"I've been briefed this morning by General Polis, the mission must not fail." Riley paused and looked at him. "Any questions?"

"No questions, sir."

"Good. We leave at sixteen hundred hours for the little town of Sunnydale, California. It's Hostile 17's long awaited day."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Go to part 1


	2. Did You Hear Thunder?

**Did You Hear Thunder? -**- part 1 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas -- Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I need adventure so here it is. This is an angsty story. But like Joss said once, trust the story not the storyteller. This is B/S fiction, I write nor read any other. I decided on the no sex rule since we have plenty of Smut to cover the sex part *g*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I regard this restitution as a weight thrown into the scale to balance the evil I have done."

_The Count of Monte Cristo_, Alexandre Dumas

"Chicken burger... again... yum," Dawn frowned at her dinner.

A sore and tired Buffy cringed. "I would've made it home earlier to make the Alfredo I've been promising you, Dawnie, but I ran into some vamps on the way home."

Dawn put on a brave face and smiled. "No biggie, Willow made some awesome subs before she left for class."

Buffy looked at her sister and pain shot through her. "I'm sorry, Dawn... I'll try harder next time." This was not what a responsible sister did, this was not what responsible caretakers did. They were home at five o'clock and had dinner going before the Simpson's started.

Dawn grinned. "Don't worry about it... I had time to finish my homework."

"Good," Buffy nodded and threw the burger bag in the trash. She sighed as she saw the dishes weren't done... and she forgot to pay their light bill today--she'd have to run out fifteen minutes before work tomorrow to do it.

"I'm turning in early today--I have a big math test tomorrow."

Buffy looked at her. "Did you study?"

Dawn nodded as she picked up her school bags and set them neatly by the front door. "Willow helped me."

"Willow helped you," Buffy almost whispered back. "Right, well that's great!"

Dawn smiled and went to her sister to kiss her cheek. "Relax, Buffy. Have a peaceful night..."

The sentence was cut off as the front door was thrown open and several people shuffled in.

Both sisters ran to the front to see what the commotion was about. Xander and Willow--along with Tara who was trailing behind them dragged in an unconscious Spike.

"Buffy!" Willow screamed.

The Slayer raced forward, her heart in her throat. "What happened to him?"

Willow and Xander set Spike down on the couch as he groaned. "We don't know. We found him like this."

Buffy quickly knelt by him and opened his coat. They all gasped as they saw his stomach sliced and diced.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Dawn tried to come forward but Willow grabbed her upper arms.

"C'mon, Dawnie, let's get some towels."

"But I want to see!"

"Dawn. To your room, now!" Buffy cried.

Small pickling tears were in the teenager's eyes. "I hate you!"

Buffy winced as the door to Dawn's bedroom slammed. "Get me alcohol, towels, water... there are needles in your room, Willow, mom kept them in the bottom drawer in the bathroom cabinet."

Willow and Xander nodded and went to look for the items.

Spike thrashed and groaned as Buffy tried to check where else he was hurt.

"Do you know who would hurt him?" Tara asked as she helped Buffy by taking off the vampire's shoes.

"He probably got into a bar fight," she said, sighing. She gently fingered the largest wound in his chest. Spike's eyes shot opened and he cried out, trying to sit up. Buffy pressed him down and cradled his head against her chest. "Shhh..." she whispered. "It's ok...you're safe now."

"Buffy?" he whispered.

Tara watched the small exchange and smiled. She knew what was in Buffy's heart, but a serious boyfriend was not what the Slayer was ready for... nevertheless you can't control the heart. It will just make you miserable to hold it back.

"What happened? Who did this? Why didn't you fight back?" she asked him.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Bloody bints..."

"Spike?" she slapped his cheek lightly to bring him back. "Wake up... you smell like a bottle of tequila."

He chuckled and then winced. "Told them I had a girl..."

"Told who?" she asked him, hovering over the vampire.

"Bloody sluts... then their boyfriends got mad 'cause I called them ... dirty hoe's..." he chuckled.

Buffy shook her head and looked up as Xander and Willow came in carrying the first aid items.

"What happened?" Willow asked, soaking the small towels in the water and handing them to Buffy.

"Bar fight," she said, rolling her eyes and ignoring a semi-conscious Spike as he jerked in his daze.

"Bar fight? You see, those are the cool things I never get to do," Xander said as he sat down.

All the girls glared at him and Spike chuckled. "You don't heal fast, Xander--you'd look like a quilt and might not even survive," Buffy told him.

Xander went pale. "Note to self. No bar fights."

Willow nodded. "Plus you'd be screaming like a girl."

Xander gawked at her. "I would not--I can take a knife wound."

"You can tackle a flesh wound," Tara smiled and handed Buffy the needles.

"I'm being cornered," Xander protested.

They ignored him and went back to tending Spike.

Hours later Spike was all sewn back up and was sleeping peacefully on the Summer's couch.

"You're sure you're going to be ok with evil undead in the couch?" Xander eyed Spike's sleeping form.

Buffy smiled and shoved him out as Tara pulled on him. "I'll be fine, Xander."

"Just call if you need anything, ok?"

"I will," Buffy smiled and sighed as the door closed after them.

She nearly jumped when Willow tapped her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Buffy."

Buffy pressed her index fingers to her temples. "It's fine, Will, I'm just tired... and I work a full shift tomorrow..."

"Get some rest, I'll stay here with Spike."

Buffy shook her head at her friend. "He'll be all right, just needs to sleep."

"As do all of us," Willow reminded her.

"I checked all the windows--he'll be fine until morning." She told her friend.

"Ok.. then I'll see you tomorrow?" Willow asked, stopping at the stairs and looking back down at Buffy.

"Will... thanks for helping out with Dawn... she told me..."

Willow smiled at her. "She's almost my little sister too... don't mention it."

Buffy smiled gratefully and watched her go up the stairs. A small moan from the couch made her go into the living room to investigate.

Spike was sitting up, clutching his stomach.

"Get some sleep, you'll heal faster," she told him.

He looked up to her and then back down. "Who did the sewing?"

Buffy shrugged and sat down across from him in the table. "I did." She swatted his hands away to check the stitching.

"Bloody great," he mumbled.

Satisfied that they were healing properly she swatted his knee. "Thanks, Buffy for not letting my guts spill out." She said sarcastically.

Spike studied her... she looked worried. He was sure it was not for him... she would never worry about him.

"Look, I'm fine, why don't I head out for my place, don't want to impose anymore."

He stood up, wincing.

Buffy grabbed his hand and made him sit back down. "Stay... you can come up stairs with me if you sign a hands-off disclaimer."

He studied her. "What's this? Last time we met you clearly told me that I didn't belong in your life."

She bit her lip, knowing he was right. "I was under the influence..."

"Of what, a truth spell?"

She winced at that and looked down at her hands... she had caked blood on her fingertips--his blood. The blood that she had tried to save, precious borrowed blood.

"You needed help..."

"I don't need your help... I would've been fine on my own." With that he huffed and walked out of the house, ignoring the ripping stitches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She tried to sleep, she really did. But the bed was too warm and the sheets were too clingy.

Patrolling at 3:30AM was the best she could so... it wasn't like she *needed* to sleep. Sleep was a commodity.

With that self assuring thought she slipped into something comfy and the Slayer went to slay.

The cemetery was dark and empty. There wasn't a living creature there. Not even un-living ones. She considered taking out her frustrations on a threatening, rabies carrying Raccoon but she realized what she was about to do and she frightened herself.

That's how she ended up in a small hill. She'd only been here once or twice. It was a nice hill, you could see the town from there--it was mostly dark since Sunnydale was afraid of it's own nights. Little children were tucked into beds, and creatures of the night roamed in secret. Above all the Slayer watched.

"There's a storm coming."

She jumped and turned to look at him. "You scared me."

"Good, I still have the touch," Spike smirked and reached out for her hands. She let him take them. "Can you hear the thunder?"

Buffy looked up to him. Full moon above, incoming clouds in the scorching night. Fine cheekbones shining in the night. "I can't hear it."

He took her hands and pressed them against his heart. His dead heart--the one that didn't beat.

She shivered and unconsciously pressed herself closer to him. "Feeling better?"

"Worried about me, pet?" he whispered. The thin, cold breath of his against her heated face. She closed her eyes and let the scent of tobacco rush over her.

"Why did you get in the bar fight?" she whispered.

He sighed and she could feel him pulling away. "Frustrated, pet, it's called being bloody frustrated."

She watched him as he watched the city below them. The vampire that watches over his town.

"Why are you frustrated? They raise the price of the flowering onion in the Bronze?"

He growled but didn't look at her. "You have no idea what it feels like."

He took out a cigarette and lit it up.

"Have no idea? About wha--"

"Loving someone," he turned to look at her. The frustration was there in his eyes. He loved her--that she knew. But being away from her was killing him like it killed her to be with him. "Loving someone and not being able to be with them... to touch them... like an invisible wall." he took a drag and avoided her eyes. "At times I feel deader than when I actually died."

She looked down at the ground and studied the decomposing animals that the ants stored away. "I do know."

"You know nothing!" he cried.

She glared back at him.

"'Cause you don't care, Slayer--you've never cared about anything but you and yours...I'm not yours. Though I want to be I'll never be..."

"You're drunk and I'm leaving," she said with determination and started walking away. His arms snaked out and grabbed her, pressing her against his chest.

Yes--she could smell the alcohol on him, but it was old --this rant was of pure frustration. She also felt a familiar poking in her stomach. She tried to pull away. "We can't--I told you it's over."

"Is it really?" he sneered.

She looked at him. "Is this the way you want it, Spike? I mean really want it? Forcing me to do something I don't want to do? For what? So you can get rid of your boner?"

It was like she poured a bucked of holy water on him. He let her go and stepped back.

And there it was--the horror on his face.

His eyes were the palest blue when he was scared and she could hear him breathing hard--the bulge in his pants quickly melting.

He met her eyes. She was almost afraid... he'd go too far, afraid she might not stop him...afraid of what she might have had to do if he would've thought with his dick.

"Buffy..." her name from his lips came out as a whisper, a shadow in time.

She shivered and wrapped her small arms around herself, looking down, at the dying tree, anywhere but those shame filled eyes.

Thunder was heard in the distance. "There's a storm coming..." she whispered.

"There always is," he said after a while.

"I should head home..."

"Buffy?" She turned to look at him for the first time after he pulled away. There were tear tracks on his face, he didn't bother hiding his pain, shame, frustration or love.

"Yes?" she asked, her voice a little small--she wondered if people saw so much emotion when they looked into her eyes.

"Tell me... I mean... what I'm trying to say is--"

"Spike," Buffy said, almost in frustration.

He ran his hands through his hair and flicked his half way smoked cigarette away. "If you tell me... if you ask me I'll stay... otherwise I'm hitting the high road."

Buffy stared at him for nearly five minutes, not really registering what he said.

"You want to leave?" she asked, and she surprised herself when she found that her voice was shaking with emotion. She hated him for making her feel yet the adored him for it.

Spike shrugged and studied his unpainted nails. "Don't got nothin' to stay 'ere for."

"Nothing?" she asked.. was that hope in her voice? She cursed herself.

He looked at her and wiped the ruminants of his tears away. "This is killing us, Buffy. I want you, you want me, yet we stay away. Stay away until it consumes me and I do something stupid like I almost did."

"I mean you can control yourself, right?" she asked... there it was again. The sound of hope in her voice. Was that her voice? Maybe she wasn't talking at all and this was all a dream. A nasty bitter-sweet dream that smelled like pistachios.

His blue eyes met hers again. He shook his head and hung it down--in shame.

It took her a moment to process what he just said. "Ohhh..." was all she could answer. She fidgeted for a while and though she didn't look at him she could feel he was still there. He wanted something from her... what was it again. She couldn't remember... it was gone with the wind.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked him.

He took it the wrong way and clenched his jaw, striding past her towards his crypt. "I don't want a bloody thing," he shouted to her without looking back.

She stood there and watched him leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The black SUV turned off it's lights as it turned into Revello drive. It stopped in front of the Summer's household.

"How many life forms inside?" one soldier asked the one with an infrared camera.

"The sensors only pick up heat from two humans."

Riley looked ahead and clenched his jaw. "She must be out patrolling with him... we'll wait until she gets home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

She did ask herself why exactly she was following him but when she caught up with him she said nothing and neither did he.

She took his hand and pulled him to her, melting her mouth against his. He was too lost in familiarity to feel her pulling him towards that hill. Hands that touched and explored, mouths that tasted and smiled.

Before she or he knew it his coat was serving as a blanket for their bodies--there on top of the town, wondering who was now watching whom.

It wasn't clear yet it was. 'Cause he clearly heard when she said 'I love you'.

It was almost dawn by the time they headed to her house. They were holding hands and smiling. It was a strange feeling, she observed.

This was Spike. She couldn't love him yet she wondered now if she could ever stop. They would bump against each other and kisses would be exchanged, hands would touch hair.

It was different... was new... it was blissful.

She assumed he was going upstairs with her. After all... this made them official? Right?

But he stopped on the porch steps. She looked at him questioningly. "Aren't you coming in?"

He smiled and pulled her in for another kiss. Kisses that were now blending with each other and she now felt she'd been kissing him all her life.

"Gonna get some clothes and some blood from m'crypt. I'll be back in a few."

She looked at the sky. Rain was coming in the early morning. "The sun..."

He shushed her with another kiss--his hand tangling beside her right ear. Too lost in another kiss--another lifetime--that she didn't feel as he gently pulled one of her earrings off. She noticed only when he pulled back and jingled it in her face.

"This will help me find my way home," he smiled at her.

"Home?" she asked, though she tried to glare it melted into a smile.

"Yeah... home to you and nibblet."

She shook her head and pulled him back for more kisses--more lifetimes.

"You're a crazy vampire, you know that?"

He smiled against her full lips and inhaled the smell behind her ear. It smelled of Freesia shampoo with a hint of her vanilla musk.. somewhere there was the scent of the grass on the hill were she had writhed in pleasure.

"I'll be back before you know it..." he pulled on her pinky. "Keep the bed warm... I'll.. climb in." He said suggestively.

She smiled and pulled away. "Then hurry up--I don't want to be in bed with ashes."

He turned to leave but stopped and looked back at her. She was standing there, in the light of the porch light watching him go. He'd never had it so good.

"I won't be long," he said.

She grinned wickedly at him. "Do you want company?"

He studied her--all disheveled and rosy. "Nahhh... I know the way."

"Then hurry up and come back," she laughed lightly.

"I will--in a minute," he said, biting his lower lip.

"What are you doing?" she was still laughing at the way he looked too happy and swaying lightly--as if he would drop any second of pure bliss.

"Just... remembering you--just this way... like you are now," he said, still smiling. He was sure his face would cramp if he smiled much longer.

She shook her head--still laughing. "What do you see?"

He cocked his head to the side and started walking backwards. "A most extraordinary woman."

She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head just like him. "Go on."

He laughed. "I'll tell you the rest when I come back... I promise. I can make a bloody list."

"A list is good."

He said nothing but turned around to walk off--he wanted to be back as soon as possible.

She watched him walk away and smiled. God she had it bad. Since when did bleached heads become so attractive?

She smiled back at him when he stopped at the edge of the street and blew her a kiss. She blew him one back and waved.

Yup... she had it bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The men inside the van looked on at the scene in disgust.

"Follow the vampire," Agent Finn told the driver as they saw Buffy enter the house. "It's him we're here for."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike felt like singing 'Oh Happy day' as he waltzed quickly towards Buffy's house. In his arms he had his small black bag filled with his clothes, smokes and blood. Enough to last until he could steal more money from Xander to buy some more.

The sky was lightening so he hurried, though the clouds of the coming rain would buy him time, he didn't want to risk it--for the first time in a long time he wanted to live. Hearing Buffy say those words to him over and over tonight has almost made him grow a soul--he hated it and loved it at the same time.

If you asked him a year later he would've told you that the arrow came from right in front of him...but out of nowhere. He was grateful his bag was slung across his body... it stayed with him as he hit the floor unconscious.

The agents moved fast as they picked up the limp body of the vampire.

"Move out," the leader said. They carried him quickly to the SUV. Tied his hands and ankles, blinding his mouth and unceremoniously dropped him in the back of the car. The four men filed in quickly not even breaking the speed limit as they left town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy woke from her bed around 9:30 AM. She woke up alone.

Her brows furrowed, she remembered waiting up for Spike but finally dozing off, she was too tired. Plus she knew he would come back, he only left for a little while.

She padded her way out of her room to find that both Willow and Dawn had left. She was alone in the house. He wasn't even in the basement. All that was left of Spike was the drying blood on her mother's sofa.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike woke up to find that his whole body was on fire. Or was it on ice? He couldn't tell...

He groaned. Ok--was it all a dream? Was he drinking all night and dreamt the whole thing up?

A metal something poked his ribs and he growled, opening his eyes.

Something was wrong--something was very wrong. The bouncing feeling he was getting was because he was in some type of air craft... his hands and feel bound and three men dressed in black with automatic guns pointed at him. "Don't move, Hostile 17."

Panic came from his throat. There was only one group of people who called him by that.

The Initiative.

"We're almost there."

"Almost where?" he growled, trying to sit up. One of them brought the barrel of the gun in contact with his face, sending his head in a whiplash. He coughed, blood ran down his throat from his broken lips.

"You don't ask questions, creature! Shut up."

Spike shrank back, in his head chanting that Buffy would find him or that he'd be able to escape.

It was night outside the helicopter... he could make it...

"Don't think of escaping," one of them said. The same one that hit him. His radio came to life and he nodded--as if following orders. He squatted in front of Spike and quickly took out a large knife. Another soldier opened up the sliding door of the 'copter, letting the night wind come in.

Spike looked down and gasped as he saw the ocean underneath... a small island in the middle of it. The 'copter began to decend and that's when Spike started struggling for real.

The knife was brought to his face, butting him across his sharp cheek. He hissed and pulled back. "Watch the face, mate!"

The soldier chuckled. "We're ready, Marshall." The one that opened the door told the one who had cut him.

Agent Marshall looked at Spike and smiled. "In myth vampires can fly." he quickly cut the bonds of his feet and hands and grabbed Spike by the lapels of his coat, shoving him towards the open door.

The wind blew in his face and he panicked as he realized what their plan was. He could've taken them all... if he didn't have his chip... he would make it out of this--he always did.

Marshall got in his face and sneered. "I'll take care of your girl, buddy, she won't need a thing."

Before Spike could react he was shoved out of the helicopter and into the shallow waters by the island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marshall watched as the vampire hit the water, his black bag still attached to his body.

He grabbed his radio, checking for frequency. "Sir?"

"Yes Agent?" a shaky voice came through the radio.

"Mission accomplished."

"Very good, head back to base."

With that the helicopter turned around and left the shores of the Moroccan island.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cold water hit Spike like a sledgehammer. He would've given up--in the weak condition his body was from the drugs. But he kept hearing Marshall's words to him. _"I'll take care of your girl, buddy, she won't need a thing."_

He growled and swam, swallowing sea water as the waves crashed around him, feeling the pull of the tide. He swam until he was sure he was drowning and waving.

It was sometime later when his body washed up on the shore. Still with leather duster and still with his small bag.

He groaned and lifted his head as it was pancaked with sand. Cold sand--this was no longer California. He pulled the top of his body up, essentially ending sitting down, staring out into the sea.

The gentle kissing of the waves and the sand was all that was heard. Dawn was coming...he must have been out for over a day.

He slowly stood up, swaying as if he were still being trashed by the waves. He shook his head, tasting the sand and dried sea water in his mouth and turned to look at the island. There were palm trees and a large beach. One of his boots was missing so he stepped unevenly as he stared out into the jungle.

"Hello?"

His words echoed back to him. He listened to the night... loneliness was in the wind. He looked around some more--confused. Why hadn't they just killed him? Dumping him on an island was just... crazy.

They wanted him alive. On this island....

He looked around some more, legs like jelly under him as he sunk to his knees. So this was his payment? Find the love of his life only to be ripped from her?

He felt tears coming to his eyes. He was no longer in California and he was lost. The only people that knew where he was were certainly not going to tell Buffy where he was at.

Then the haunting words came back to him... _"I'll take care of your girl, buddy, she won't need a thing_."

He ripped the bag off him and ran to the tip of the shore, grabbing sticks and sand, flinging it at the calming sea.

"Buffy!" he screamed. Threw more sand. "Buffy!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(oh, you guys *know* that you love me--Iz)


	3. The Hunt

**The Hunt **-- part 2 of _The Island of Galleno _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I need adventure so here it is. This is an angsty story. But like Joss said once, trust the story not the storyteller. This is B/S fiction, I write nor read any other. I decided on the no sex rule since we have plenty of Smut to cover the sex part *g* Special thanks to Heller for the Beta.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stepped lightly to her well known destination. It was weird--when she used to visit him a few weeks ago she could usually feel him around, even if he was around during the day she could feel him. Now she felt nothing... only memories and a vague space. It was disheartening.

That only made her walk faster, quicker, with more purpose. 

By the time she got to his crypt she was panting and salty tears rolled down her thinning cheeks--she was sure he was going to wake up and look at her lazily and make a bit of fun of her worrying over him. She didn't care, she needed to make sure he was okay. And with okay she meant, here non-dusty and whole... preferably never coming back to the dark crypt... nothing wrong with endless hours of sex, sex with Spike, Spike of the sex... now she was just confusing herself as she looked around the empty crypt.

"Spike?" she called out.

It was kinda funny, but she knew he wasn't there--she knew it before she said his name. She knew it the second time, the third, and the fourth time she called it out.

She knew it when she ran downstairs and stared at his half burned bedroom, she knew it all along. Without thinking she grabbed the thin blanket he used to go to bed with and stuffed it in her coat. At this moment of panic she could only wish that he'd make fun of her. Just a little joke, was that too much for a panicked girlfriend to ask?

She went to the small bars she knew he hung out at. Even ran into Clem who told her he hadn't seen the vampire for days. No news from the demon world is bad news, she decided.

She was worn out, soon she had too go into her 3 PM shift at the burger joint and she still had no vampire boyfriend.

She idly wondered at the irony of it. When she didn't want to find him he was stuck to her like a leech on a leper, and now that she wanted to find him he was Casper.

Sitting down on a park bench by his cemetery she watched as mothers swung their small children on the swings. It reminded her of a long ago dream when she was real--real as in normal and happy. But the idiotic body mass of peroxide blond hair wasn't there. Somehow... it seemed incomplete. Could she have really gone through her life with out her vampires and her witches, demons, watchers and her very own personalized key? Her world might qualify for Ripley's but it was her world. Her own little hell on earth that equaled to heaven and she was not giving that up for anything on this world... though she might take up the offer if anyone could tell her where dangerous and charming was at.

It was there, on that park bench, by the swings on the sunny day--while the grass was still wet from the storm the night before that a young man approached her.

She noticed he had blue eyes.... she liked blue eyes on men. Though his weren't as warm and mischievous as her own boyfriend, but they were still blue. The blue the filled her with a sense of familiarity.

"Buffy Summers?"

She smiled at him. _Be polite Buffy Summer_, she chided herself. _Great internal manners mom._

"Yes... and I might ask how you know my name but I think that's your next phrase," she said lightly.

The guy looked perplexed. "Humm... yes." he sat down.

"I startled you," she stated more than asked. "I do that a lot--it's called perpetual self-centeredness."

He laughed. She was pleased.

After a while he stopped and looked serious, it was scary, she realized. He was almost like an omen, bringing with his blue eyes bad news.

"I came here as a representative of the United States Special forces..."

Her heart jumped. "Riley? Sam? Is that it?"

He turned to look at her. At that point her heart had stopped beating... it was more like it was doing the dangerous lambada and if she hadn't come back from death twice she would've been worried about getting a heart attack.

"No... it's someone else."

She frowned... who else she knew in the forces. She did a speedy Rolex check of the people she knew.

"One they call William the Bloody..."

That's when she felt her world go dark. Like a nasty black cloud settled around her and she felt chilly. She decided that she was dreaming. This was one of those bad dreams psychologists and mommies through the centuries had called nightmares. This one was getting darker by the minute.

Along with her current cardiac arrest her mouth felt dry and all she could do was nod.

Him taking a deep breath before speaking was not of the good.

"Last night, while my squad and I were doing our final rounds over Sunnydale, Hostile 17 was spotted in the western cemetery and was staked on sight." he bit his lip. "We didn't know he was now an ally of the Slayer until we got back to base." he fidgeted with his hands. "I'm sorry to be the one to inform you Miss Summers."

Buffy heard. But like one of those dreams you have when you fall asleep on the couch and you hear the TV far away. _Hostile 17 was spotted in the western cemetery and was staked on sight._ He didn't fight? No grand and glorious death? No witty remark. Maybe an arrow that came for him in the night. No chance to duck or roll over or sneak a few punches in. No. Staked on sight. Like in dust. Like on his way home to her, with his black duffle back and the poof! no more vampire, no more Spike, no more William... no more boyfriend.

The only thing she found comfort in was puking on his shoes before passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He would never tell anyone nor admit that he fell asleep crying. Until he was tasting wet sand on his mouth. Sometime in the night he had hid under a thick bush of trees to protect him from the rapidly coming sun. Now that the sun was safely covered by clouds for the next fifteen or so minutes he dragged his heavy feet and his two ton head to find shelter. Somewhere there had to be a cave or something... until what? He couldn't think of that now. Survive first, find Buffy next.

He found his cave just in time as the sun was coming out from behing the clouds again, bathing the small island with it's rays. He balanced himself against the slick rocks with his right hand and with his other he lit his lighter to go deeper into the cave.

He found a nice flat space were he shed his duster and used it to pillow his bottom as he went through his meager possessions. Blood, check. Shirts, check. Wet smokes, check.

The last item he pulled out held his gaze.

It was a picture of Buffy, smiling. He had nicked it from her house last year. The frame had gotten wet so the picture was stuck to the frame. He stood it up and placed it across from him. Sighing he draped his coat around his shoulders and stretched out his wet shirts in the sun, scorching his skin lightly... but any pain was welcomed.

He took one of the packets of blood and drained half of it. The rest he dipped them in a small pool in the inside of the cave, the water was cool and it would keep them cool. Once night came he would go hunt... though he might as well sign his death warrant--he couldn't hurt a living thing.

He might as well get some sleep until the sun went down so he stripped off all his clothes to let them dry. When he took his pants off he heard a jingle.

Curious about, he dug his hand into the left pocked and pulled it out.

Buffy's earring.

He remembered how only hours before he had been with her.

_"This will help me find my way home," he smiled at her._

_"Home?" she asked, though she tried to glare it melted into a smile._

_"Yeah... home to you and nibblet."_

Those damn things called tears started prickling at his eyes again. Taking her wet earring and staring at her picture he curled himself up in a naked ball of flesh and cried himself to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(3 days later)

Her eyes were sore and her stomach was definitely made out of jelly. Dawn had tried to get her to eat something but everything just kept her upchuck reflex active.

She tentatively moved her index finger up and up. In a 'come hither' way. But who was coming this time?

The memory filled her once again and she whimpered under her covers... this time there were no more tears left. A couple of minutes of whimpering and she dragged herself out of bed. One sock purple another white, bra-less and in some large jammies. Little bears were on them and they hugged each other happily. 'Forever' was the pink word filled with glitter that adorned the touching scene like a rainbow on a rainy sunny day.

She wanted to puke again... but nothing came out this time. Nothing was there, just her stomach trying to turn itself inside out.

She was trembling by the time she shed her socks and PJ's, ran cold water and just let it rain on her overheated skin. If she closed her eyes tight enough it could be Spike surrounding her... just being all around her.

That's how Dawn found her, curled into a ball and just staring out into nothing. Her little sister turned off the water and wrapped the shivering body with a thick warm towel fresh from the drier.

She didn't force her to sit up or get out of there. She just sat in the tub with her and stroked her wet locks.

After what seemed like hours Buffy stirred. Coming out of her trance-like-state.

"I'm sorry, Dawn." She whispered.

Dawn said nothing, her silence shadowing the 15 year old mentality buried within her.

"I've fallen... apart. I-I try to be better... I really do. And I thought I had it under control," fresh tears were slipping from her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, Buffy."

For the first time in the horrible past 3 days, Buffy looked at her sister. Her skin was pale and she had been crying. Dark circles under her eyes and her arms looked thinner than ever. Had she even paid the light bill that morning? God, they were going to cut it off and here she was mourning her love.

"Did..." her voice was hoarse and she tried to gulp. Dawn quickly grabbed a cup from the sink and filled it with cool water. Buffy drank greedily, feeling completely dehydrated. She drank four whole cups before she could utter a word.

She nodded in thanks to Dawn and sat up, wrapping the cooling towel around her thin body.

"How did I make it home... I don't remember..."

Dawn picked up one of the leave in conditioners from the counter and started massaging it into her sister's head. "That guy, Jack brought you home... he said that after he told you about..." her voice went dry and Buffy ducked her head. She knew Dawn loved the vampire almost as much as she did. "Well you know, about the news... that you started with the puking... and you fainted."

Buffy closed her eyes just letting the feel of the thick comb running through her hair fill her. "I can't believe he's gone." She whispered after a while.

Dawn continued the steady brushing, maybe her own way of dealing. Move some, ignore some.

"Really gone... he said he would be right back." A small tear ran down her cheek. "He wouldn't want me to cry... he wouldn't want that, would he?" She looked up at her little sister who looked very much more mature than what she had acted all year long.

"No he wouldn't have... he would've wanted us to remember him... and his smirk and his pessimism."

Buffy laughed. It was a bad laugh. A laugh that told you, she knew exactly what she was talking about but it was too painful to bear. Yes, a bad laugh indeed.

"I want you to know that ... I loved him... and he knew it."

Dawn stood still and watched her sister. So finally... after all the year of sexual banter Buffy gives in and bam! She looses him. No wonder her sister was twisted. Life was a bitch to her.

"Then you shouldn't feel bad. It would've been bad if you never told him... if he never knew. If he didn't carry that with him."

Buffy nodded and bit her lip. "Yeah... but what good will that be?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

The mere reason alone that she loved him made the struggle worth it. He wasn't going home to denial and punches and shagging in alley walls... not that they really had to give that up but it was all part of the wonderful Buffy plan.

Today was D-day. The day he ran out of blood. No more bagged crimson life. No more pig blood. Just plain old hunting... with a chip that would sooner kill him than let him hurt a bird.

He growled.

There was something moving ahead in the bushes. Like an animal he crouched down. Silent, predatory, dangerous. Now he was the king of the jungle. The dominant species, astute, fast, and deadly.

The position wasn't bad but the lack of a throne and a queen made it a lame thought.

He wondered if he would go crazy and talk to a beach ball like the pansy idiot did in that Castaway movie. No... the idiot didn't know how to built fire, unlike Spike who had to do many nights of impromptu camping when Dru want to dance with the stars.

The moment was right... he tensed... he focused... he pounced. The bird shirked and flapped his wings and Spike closed his eyes and sharply snapped his neck...waiting for the pain...any moment now... ok... he'd never had to wait this long.

No pain.

He opened one eye to make sure the large bird was dead. It was dead. Gray wings that flopped lifelessly like a dead salesman.

No pain.

He killed a living creature... and there was no pain.

He growled and threw his soon-to-be dinner against a palm tree, sounding in a sick dead thunk.

"Oh bloody marvelous!" he screamed to the night sky.

He stomped a bit, crushing bushes with his bare hands and hitting tree trunks until his fists bleed.

"Make me demon, now, why don't you. It's like all you do is play Parcheesi with good ol' Spike. Hey let's give him a barrier. Send in the bloody Slayer so she can make him a bloody poof. Oh, why don't we shove a damn chip up his brain stem so he'll be a tamed puppy! And best of all! Have the Slayer actually give a rats ass about 'im and then take him away from her and then take the bleeding chip out of his soddin' brain! What's next? I get stuck here forever until I decide one day to greet the lovely sparkly sun and say au revoir to this soddin' world!"

"Touching, really."

Spike jumped, breathing hard and standing with his fist ready to fight. In front of him a man stood. With red hair and an almost white beard. He looked at him amused. And smirked.

Then someone hit his head with a bat and he passed out cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She hated dreaming. All her dreams always meant something. And by the color, feel, and smell of it she knew this was one of those.

_dream sequence_

_She was walking down a cobble path. There were silly daisies on the floor. The air smelled like fresh cut grass and lavender and oddly enough there were birds around her--pretty blue and red just floating on the wind._

_Soft songs of Spring._

_Any moment now she knew she would see a unicorn graze the land. The forest was full of life--with squirrels and rabbits just wandering around. Not a care in the world._

_But her stomach felt like it was in knots._

_"Hello?" she said._

_A small fawn walked up to her. She knew those eyes, they reminded her of her mountain cats filled with spirits of the dead._

_"Where am I?" she asked the fawn._

_She could've sworn she saw it smile and it made her shiver in fright._

_A smiling deer was too Bambi for her._

_The fawn turned and walked ahead on the cobble road. She followed it, hoping it would lead her ... somewhere... anywhere._

_It stopped in a clearing, a valley filled with flowers. They shone and the breeze was light. She wondered if this was her cue to start 'The hills are alive'._

_There was a large, flat boulder in the middle of the valley and she could see someone sitting on it. She ran to them._

_"Help!" she cried._

_The person didn't turn._

_But she ran anyway, not being able to see the head since the sun got in her eyes and she had to squint._

_When she looked up she promptly fell on her butt._

_There--on top of this large rock was Spike, in jeans and nothing else drawing with colored chalk._

_"Spike?" she whispered._

_He didn't look up but smiled._

_"When the moon is four and the sun is eight you shall not be alone."_

_She gapped at him._

_"You're dead," she stated._

_He looked up then and she realized there were tear tracks on his face._

_"Spike?... are you crying?" she asked and stood up._

_He said nothing but waited until she was climbing up the rock and sitting before him cross legged, holding her hands as if she were trying to stop them from holding him._

_"A vampire without a soul doesn't cry."_

_"I've seen you cry," she said. "Does that mean that you have a soul?"_

_"No," he said. "It means someone is wrong."_

_Buffy bit her lip. "Are you dead?"_

_"Since 1860," he responded and smirked._

_She rolled her eyes and swatted his arms. "Are you dust?"_

_"Dust falls on the ground and grows new things."_

_She leaned forward and looked at what he was drawing._

_In red chalk there before her was a circle. There was a stick figure in the circle and around the figure was a long line that swirled and swirled as if lost--without beginning nor end._

_"This is were I am at."_

_Tear pricked her eyes. "Is this hell?"_

_Spike nodded. "It's hell for me."_

_A little sob came from her throat. "Why won't you hold me?"_

_"Because you won't want me to."_

_end of dream_

Buffy jumped up in bed, crying and screaming 'no'.

Before she knew it Dawn was next to her, holding her and telling her it was going to be okay.

In the dark of the night she still heard the whisper.

_"When the moon is four and the sun is eight you shall not be alone."_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

White walls of ebony made him stand out in the monotony of the sterile hall.

Two men were behind him as he walked proudly to his destination. There was no longer a need to hang his head--mission complete. He was now an accomplished soldier.

The two men at the door saluted and he saluted back.

"Lieutenant Finn" one of them greeted.

"At ease soldier," he replied.

"General Polis has been expecting your report, sir."

Riley nodded and entered the room. Saluted to his senior and handed him the manila envelope. "Mission completed, sir."

General Polis took the papers from his officer and looked over the photos. The hostile and the Slayer kissing--sharing what in other eyes would've been considered a romantic moment, yet he scoffed at it. Then the hostile walking by himself with a black bag. The hostile being shot and laying on the floor, unconscious. The hostile on an operating table, knocked out and under delicate neural surgery. The hostile being thrown out of the helicopter and into the Straight of Gibraltar sea. Down to the pit less ocean and onto the small unknown island.

The General smiled. "Excellent work, Finn."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. She looked thinner--her once tight pants that hung tightly on her hips where now loose and worthy of sneakers. She could also see her ribs, her skin felt pasty and she looked ashen.

She hated doctor visits.

Dawn was making her go, saying that she looked sick and perhaps the doctor could prescribe an anti-depressant.

She wasn't depressed.

She was in mourning.

But she wasn't thinking about that anymore. It would be a shadow in the back of her mind. The only thing that reminded her of him was the blood stain in her couch and the blanket she used nightly to be able to sleep.

Nothing much, really--it was little souvenirs that would never amount to him...

"Ready?" Dawn opened the door to check up on her.

Buffy had hardly eaten in days except for some soup here and there and maybe some fruit.

"Yeah... I'm ready." Ready to not remind herself that remembering him was not of the good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_dream sequence_

_He was standing on the porch again. Telling her he was coming right back._

_"Please don't go..." she said, it sounded like a trickle in the rain. Soft and chanting like an Elven tongue._

_He turned to look at her. Her hair was long once again and she was dressed in a blue dress. It was daytime and he wasn't burning. She held out her hand to him. Soft manicured pink hand that held a thousand and one promises. A thousand and one secrets that chanted and lured him in the nightish day._

_"I'll be right back," he told her, taking her hands and pulling her against his chest. She was soft and warm as if she'd laid in the sun for a long time. She smelled like fresh clothes or at least what fresh clothes seemed to smell like in those Bounce commercials._

_She tightened her arms around him. "No, you won't--you'll leave, I know it."_

_He smiled and placed a kiss on top of her head._

_"Where's the brave Slayer I know?"_

_She pulled back and looked at him. She was pouting. "You won't. You'll try to get home and I'll think you're pushing daisies. And you'll just be floating like a paper boat on a water filled tub. Then you'll get distracted by dark Barbie dolls with missing shoes." her eyes met his. "Then you won't be my Jedi knight--you'll be Donald in a red suit and too much green."_

_Spike laughed._

_"What on earth are you blabbing 'bout?" he pulled her against him once more. "That's nonsense!"_

_"But you will," she muffled into his shirt. "And then you won't be my valentine."_

_"I'll always be yours, Buffy--you know it."_

_"But I won't then."_

_end of dream_

OK--why did they always have to hit him in the head? Why couldn't they just wait till he was sleeping or something? As if everyone had one big secret to hide and did all types of naughty things while he was out. He groaned.

"Wakey, wakey."

He growled and opened one eye to see a man standing before him with a cup in his hand. He had a thick beard and was relatively short and fat. He smelled like fermented juice and dirty laundry.

He was really wishing at the moment that he knew what Bounce smelled like.

"Who are you?" he murmured.

The man laughed and Spike heard more laughter. He looked around and saw he was surrounded by over twenty creatures. Men, vampires and demons.

The laughter continued.

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to sit up and realizing he was not bound at all--just a bit dizzy.

Short, fat and fermented extended his hand. Spike looked at it tentatively.

Shorty laughed again. "I'm not the one who bites here, friend."

Spike took it, letting him help him stand up.

"Thanks, mate." Spike looked around in question. "Where am I?"

He looked to the bonfire and the night sky.

Shorty walked around, drinking his ale as if showing off the place. "The name is Navarro--most everyone calls me Varro. This is our home--we were brought here--just like you. Welcome to the Island of Galleno. Where you come but you can never go back. It's a prison--kindly provided by the shits that run the world--AKA the United Nations. We don't appear in the radar cause it's covered by a magical barrier. We're a ghost island... some of us have been here for decades." He took out a cigarette and smirked. "So lay back and live your eternity."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The words the doctor had just said were jumbled in her head.

Suddenly the white walls seemed painted in red.

"You're pregnant is all--something that happens every day," she repeated.

Buffy gulped and held back her puke.

"I can't... you don't understand," this was one of the most difficult conversations that she had ever done. Tear were silently running down her cheeks. "My boyfriend... he's dead..." The woman looked at her sympathetically. Did they market that look cause she was seeing that all to lately. "And before... I mean when we did," more tears and less volume to her voice. "He wasn't able to ... reproduce."

The doctor stretched out her hand and patted hers that were nearly numb from blood loss as she had clasped them too tightly.

"Then it's something he left you with... of course you're only two months pregnant, if you decided you don't want to have the baby..."

Buffy's head snapped up at her. "No!" she cried.

The doctor pulled back and regarded her. "Raising a child alone is not easy. Especially if something so tragic happened to the father."

Her world was spinning out of control and she felt sick... again... for the 100th time that day, that week, that year.

"I'm not alone... I have friends... and he'd want me to be strong." More tears.

The doctor smiled and nodded. Another commercial look.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC


	4. Dear Johns

**Dear John's**-- part 3 of The _Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to the Cranberries, Now That You're Gone.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where allthe leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I need adventure so here it is. This is an angsty story. But like Joss said once, trust the story not the storyteller. This is B/S fiction, I write nor read any other. I decided on the no sex rule since we have plenty of Smut to cover the sex part *g*. Special thanks to Heller for the Beta.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Hold on to love, that is what I do   
Now that I've found you   
And from above, everything's stinking   
They're not around you   
And in the night I could be helpless   
I could be lonely slipping without you_

Spike smiled at the demon who was re-counting the tale of his capture and they all laughed and remembered--killing the army soldiers was a constant plague in their minds.

The fire was warm in the night, the ale was strong and the blood was human--he didn't ask from were they got it from.

Varro turned to Spike and nodded. "So... William the Bloody... never though they'd catch you."

Spike burped and nodded. "Yeah... me neither." He looked around at the company of men, demons and vampires living harmoniously. "No one eats anyone?"

Varro laughed. "We're all we've got, sometimes we get a bad grape and we dispose of it--who's to condemn us? We make our own laws--there's nothing else keeping us straight but _El Pulpo Azul._"

"What blue lines?" Spike asked, pouring himself more drink as he laid back on the warm sand.

"The blue fence," Varro pointed to the sea. "Look."

Spike turned his gaze and followed his. Sure enough, there is was. In the mists of the black sea a thin shimmering blue line circled the island.

"They call it El _Pulpo Azul_ because back in the seventies this one vampire was caught, went by the name of Parchie, he was intent on escaping the island. Something about his love being out there," Varro said and laughed. Spike's eyes clouded. "But when he rowed his boat past the blue line he was zapped immediately... like an Octopus' tentacle... he went dust immediately... _pulpo azul_ mean blue octopus." Varro looked at him. "Don' even try to escape, friend--whatever is living past these shores is not worth death."

Spike regarded him for a moment. Then decided to stand up. "Thanks for the ale and the blood, mate... I'll be going back to my place now."

"We have places in town, you know... and you can walk during the daylight, like I said the island is protected by black magic--you won't simmer," Varro offered.

"I simmered a few days ago when I first arrived," Spike told him.

Varro nodded. "It takes a few hours before the spell to cover you--you should have no problem now, come with us."

Spike shook his head. "I have some things there that are priceless... I'll check out the town tomorrow morning."

Varro nodded and extended his hand. "Tomorrow, then."

Spike nodded in return and walked away from the campfire and to his cave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mashed potatoes were paying the price of the frustration the slayer felt.

Mash... mush...squish...grunt...

"Umm...Buffy?"

The Slayer jumped and sighed when she saw it was Dawn.

"Don't sneak up on a potato smashing Slayer... the masher is very dangerous... not pointy but mashable."

Dawn looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Okay... so, what did the doctor tell you?"

Buffy went back to mashing.

Mash... mush...squish...grunt...

"I take it was bad news, then?"

She was not going to cry, not going to cry, not going to cry.... Salty tears were good for the potatoes... she didn't have to add salt now... if she could only convince anyone to eat them.

Okay... the snot was definitely not good for them.

She sobbed on top of the potatoes.

Dawn cringed and patted her arm.

"I'm pregnant!"

Dawn stood stock still. "What?"

A hiccupping sob and a snort. Not very lady like--but neither was her recipe.

"The doctor... I'm two months pregnant..." she looked at her little sister. "I've only been with Spike and we never... you know... his whammies are tail less... or at least they were."

Dawn gaped at her. "Oh god..."

Buffy hiccupped. "I know! And now..." Sob "He's gone and he doesn't know about... " Sob "I'll be all..."

"You're not alone, Buffy," Dawn told her, hugging her sister. "We're all here for you... I won't tell anyone... about you know, who the father is."

Buffy just let her sister hold her for a while. "Thank you, Dawnie..."

Dawn pulled back and smiled at her, tucking her tear soaked hair behind her ear. "You'll be great... I'll help out, I swear I will, Buffy---I'll be better."

Buffy gave her a pained smile.

They were interrupted by a hard knock on the front door. Buffy gave Dawn a masher. "Mash--I'll answer the door."

Dawn glared at the potatoes and cringed. She was so not eating those. Gross!

Buffy took a deep breath and calmed herself. She could do this--she could play the part. She opened the door and smiled.

Until she saw who it was. "Oh god..."

The man smiled. "Not the name I usually go by--Jack is just fine with me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was coming. He could feel it in his skin, in his pores in his taste buds. It was like an incoming storm that threatened to take reality away. And he welcomed it. He wanted it all destroyed until he danced in the nothingness.

It surprised him even more that he found the way to his cave easily. Like a path he had grown from the back of his mind--hiding in the subconscious. He knew his tree--the one that had shielded the no longer fatal sun.

So this was his life. And island filled with robbers, demons and vampires, all brought here to be taken away from society--a place of solace. His own Alcatraz.

"Pale night to be walking alone, don't you think?"

Spike jumped. His senses were diminishing, he wondered if it had to do with the magic that surrounded the place, he was never so slow.

He look at the intruder. The same red-headed man he had seen before he was knocked out. The same man who had heard his rant.

"And you are?" he wasted no time.

The man smiled yet didn't extend his hand like most the other inhabitants had. "Archibald DeLuca.... most everyone calls me Archie."

Spike smirked. "Is that a joke?"

Archie didn't laugh. "I know who you are, William the Bloody--I've read about you."

"Read about me?" Spike looked around. "Where, the local library made out of vines?"

Archie didn't move. "You'd be surprised how close to fact that is." He turned and motioned for Spike to follow him. "William St.John Tanther, born in 1854 in the town of Hereford, England to Marie Louise Tanther and William Albert St.John. Was turned in 1880, in London while at a social gathering. Turned by Drusilla, childe of Angelus of the bloodline of Aurelius--otherwise known as The Master." he looked back at Spike. "How am I doing so far?"

Spike growled at the man... no, at the vampire. "I always had a thing against turning librarians."

"You mean turning watchers."

Spike stared at the man. "You're a watcher."

"I was," Archie said as he stopped in front of his cottage made out of bamboo and palm leaves. "I was turned in 1645... one of the old ones."

Spike laughed. "It's rare for a vampire to get that old."

Archie looked at him. "The wise ones stay away from the demon world--it will only get them killed."

They entered his small home. Spike was in awe, the place was nicely furnished and a warm fire warmed the room from a makeshift chimney made out of concrete. And there were books. Tons of them. Books filled the five shelves he had, books were piled up in corners and in the middle of the floor, books on top of the two small tables and on top of the three small chairs. Books everywhere.

"You weren't kidding when you said about the library," Spike said.

Archie nodded and took some books off a chair to make room for Spike. "Yes, yes, I take care to keep my mind alive."

"How did you acquire so many things?" Spike asked and he sat down and picked up _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn._

"Shipments are brought in at the new moon... they throw boxes from planes. No one ever wants the books," he smiled. "They always want the beer."

Spike snorted and set the book down. "How long have you been here?"

Archive scratched his whitish beard and looked pensive. "I believe it was 1948 when I was captured. I was sent to the island around 1951... been here ever since."

Spike gaped at him. "You've been 'ere fifty years?"

The red head nodded sadly. "Learning of the outside world by scraps of newspaper and newcomers like you."

Spike could've screamed. He had to get out of this place and soon... he might look like this forever... but Buffy wasn't immortal. She could die and he wouldn't be there for her or nibblet... who would take care of them now?"

"Well I'm getting off this place as soon as I can... got people waiting back at home."

Archie smiled. "Yes, the Slayer, right?"

Spike stood up abruptly. "Where did you hear that?"

Archie didn't even blink--he was not scared nor impressed. "Word gets around in the demon world--you should know that."

Spike calmed a bit but began to pace. "I have to get back... she needs me."

Archie studied him for a while. "Life can be so ironic sometimes. Here you are, Spike--slayer of Slayers falling in love with a Slayer." He smiled and stood up to pour himself a drink, offering one to Spike. Spike nodded and took the whiskey.

"Yeah... ironic, ain't it?" Spike gulped his venom and handed the primitive cup back to the man. "So... how did your Slayer die?"

Archie flinched and sipped his drink. "We were traveling to Versailles... our carriage was attacked by private assassins... hired by the King. She fought bravely, I along with her. But I was old by then... perpetual 54, old for that time. She was shot three times by muskets. I was shot too trying to save her..." another sip as the eerie shadows danced across his face provided by the dying fire. "The death of a Slayer is a very powerful thing... there's a shift in nature almost. One dies another one is called. There's energy and power in the air while nature laments her death." He looked at Spike. "You should know... you caused it twice."

Spike looked down, it was like trying to look at Giles while telling him he was sleeping with Buffy--his surrogate daughter. "They had a death wish," he whispered.

"They might have... but we'll never now, will we?" Archie asked and smiled. "But why feel bad, William? There's no soul in you..."

Spike looked at him. "Do you have a soul?"

"Nope... I lost it the night I got myself piss drunk after Celia died... a rat vampire turned me, left me in the streets... I've been on my own since then," Archie swallowed the rest of his drink.

They remained quiet for a while, both lost in their own pasts, both remembering a Slayer they loved.

"Funny... it took me getting turned to find out the truths that this world hides. What the Council hides," Archie told Spike as he picked up a book from the floor, read the title '_The Prince_' and chuckled.

"What does the Council hide?" Spike asked, looking uninterested.

Archie walked to him and handed him the book and smiled. "I could teach you... I could teach you many things."

Spike looked at the man before him. "I don't think so, mate--you might not mind living 'ere with your books and your philosophies but I have people that are waiting for me to get back. I *need* to get back home."

Archie chuckled and walked away. "There's the door... try to find a way home... if you fail my door is always open, friend."

Spike nodded in thanks for the whiskey and the chat and left him to read his Machiavelli.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And in the day, everything's complex   
There's nothing simple when   
I'm not around you   
But I miss you, when you're gone   
That is what I do, hey baby, baby_

"You know... when you're feeling better... I would love to take you out for coffee..."

Buffy's head snapped up to meet Jack's. "Coffee?"

Jack bit his lower lip and looked down. "It's too early, I'm sorry."

Buffy studied him. His hair was dark brown--almost black and it was shaved short--army style. His blue eyes were dark and sincere and his smile just blew her away.

"It is early... too soon for me... but I don't mind later--if I'm feeling better," she said cautiously. He smiled radiantly at her.

"Great!" he stood and fumbled through his pockets. "Here..." he pulled out a small card. "This is my base... call me when you'd like... I'll gladly take you to the newest chick flick."

Buffy smiled, a bit watery and took his card. "Ok, then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(2 weeks later)

He slammed his fists against the stone of his cave. Rage boiled within him as his plan number one hundred forty three had collapsed.

He slid down, not caring if the stone cut into his back and scrapped him. She was looking at him from across the cave. She was smiling as if telling him 'keep trying you'll find a way."

He wanted to sleep--in sleeping he was with her and she was with him. And all was ok. In his dreams he was whole and he wondered if he could live off blood and dreams. Like a lunatic in a cave.

The allegory of the cave... was he still seeing societal shadows? Mirrored by his own making and powered by his own desires?

He groaned. The poet and thinker was coming out. If he could just place all those energies and concentrate them on finding a way out of the magic he could make it home.

He felt someone approach the outside and stilled, grabbing a large wooden plank to defend himself.

He relaxed when he heard the drunken voices of the men, laughing and singing and they ran to the beach... late night swimming.

He sighed.

Gathering his few belongings he packed them into his small bag and started into the forest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy sat on her bed, all ready for her first day at work on this new job she had acquired. Assistant manager at the local branch of Sport's store.

She looked at the innocent little paper that was staring at her from on top of her dresser.

Jack's number.

She felt a familiar pain stir within her belly. Out of instinct she placed her hand on her slightly rounded belly and rubbed it in circles.

"It's ok, baby... mommy will take care of everything..." tears slipped from her eyes. Her baby... her and Spike's baby.

Spike was dead now. Nothing he could do for her and their child.

"I want you to know, baby--that no matter what happens your daddy and me loved each other very much..." she almost whispered to the little child growing inside of her. "No matter what."

With that she stood up and grabbed the piece of paper, walking it to the phone next to her bed. She took a deep breath and dialed the number.

A sleepy voice sounded after the third ring. "Hello?"

"Uhmm... hi! I'm looking for Jack Marshall...is he in?"

There was some fumbling in the other line and a clearing of the throat. "Yeah. Marshall here."

"Jack?" she asked, unsure.

"Buffy?"

She smiled. "Hey... listen, remember how you said to call you when I was feeling better?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_It's hard to carry on,   
That is what I do, hey baby   
Give it up... Hold on to my hands   
I feel I'm sinking, sinking without you_

Archie was finishing up his last cup of coffee, reading over the latest newspaper bits that came in in yesterday's shipment when his door was swung open.

He looked up, knowing who it was.

"Changed your mind, I see," the older vampire asked Spike. Spike set down his belongings on what he had claimed as his chair and looked at Archie.

"Where do I start?"

The red head cleaned out his cup and the small metal plate he considered his faucet.

"Go out tonight and get me one hundred and fifty coconuts... from the palm trees, none of the ones that have hit the ground."

Spike gaped at him. "A hundred and fifty? Are you mad? I'll be dripping blood all over the place."

"Lesson the first. Take the pain and turn it into anger." he lit his pipe. "Anger makes you a better warrior."

"I'm already a warrior," Spike stated.

Archie laughed. "Because you can throw a few punches and be resourceful at the same time doesn't make you brilliant." he looked at Spike. "Take off your shirt and shoes. Remain in your pants and start getting them... otherwise--there's the door."

Spike glared at him for a moment and decided he had nothing better to do. He pulled off his shirt and kicked off his boots and walked out.

"You have until 8AM to get them all in," Archie looked at his watch. "That gives you 9 hours... I'd hurry if I were you."

Spike growled and ran out into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His whole body was in fire as he climbed what seemed like the hundredth palm tree that early morning. But the look of the coming dawn it was almost 5AM.

He grasped the tree trunk harder ignoring how it connected with his already raw skin and how he was painting the trunks blood red.

He was almost there but the blood was making him slip. He tried to grasp it but his fingers hurt too much he just let himself drop to the ground hoping that a stake would be waiting for him there.

There was no stake. He was just lying flat on his back, staring out into the night sky.

Why was he doing this again?

Oh, right cause the dimwit was making him... not really making him... what was it he said.

Place all your pain into anger.

Who did he hate? Really hate?

Soldier boy. Peaches. The Initiative.

_I'll take care of your girl, buddy, she won't need a thing._

If he so much as dared touch Buffy...

It was like hollow, faceless hate. Pure hate and agony. He hated that this had happened to him and he hated those that had placed him here. It was like a new breed of demon was growing in his chest. The type that calculated his attacks ... the deadlier kind. It was no longer his senses driving him to do things--it was the death within him. That masquerade that he wore 24/7. It was the anger in him--the need to get back at everyone who had done this to him. From the time he was captured by the Initiative until now. Only one good thing had come out of this. Buffy loved him... at least she loved the man he used to be... the man he would no longer be.

He jumped to his feat and started climbing the palm tree. With every scrape there was more hate with every stinging of raw skin he could kill more. He was feeling an indescribably power run through his veins and with all the strength left in him he grabbed the root where the four coconuts dangled from and pulled at it ignoring the tearing of his skin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 8:05 when all 150 coconuts were placed before Archie's hut.

Archie was sitting in his rocking chair smoking his pipe when Spike brought the last 4. His chest was almost raw and so were his hands and feet. But he stood proud as he threw the last of the coconuts.

"Done," he said and Archie could hear the pain in his voice.

"It's 8:05... I said before 8:00 AM."

Spike growled.

"Lesson the second. You must control your temper, in that you will control your demon."

Spike growled again.

Archie sighed and handed him a cup full of warm blood. "I can see this is going to be your hard subject."

Spike gulped back the blood quickly and greedily and now wiped his mouth as he glared at Archie. "What is the purpose of this bloody stupid exercise?"

Archie shrugged and smiled. "Nothing, really--just wanted fresh coconuts--I make the most incredible coconut cake."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And to my mind, everything's stinking   
Stinking without you   
And in the night I could be helpless   
I could be lonely, slipping without you_

(2 months later)

"Blue cheese dressing, right?" Jack asked her, forcing her out of her dreamland.

She smiled at him. "Yeah... you remembered."

He gave her the dressing packed to smother her Wendy's salad with. She was eating that along with chili and two burgers and a large fries.

"Are you sure you can eat all of that?" he asked cautiously--she could be moody at times, all contributed to her pregnancy.

Buffy stuffed 3 fries in her mouth along with a dripping tomato and made a 'yum' sound along with closing her eyes.

Jack cringed. "Are you sure that's safe for the baby?"

Buffy smiled down at her rounded belly. She was almost five months. "He loves it." She had never told Jack who the father was, being in the Initiative he knew that vampires couldn't reproduce. So she had told him, along with all her friends that it had been a one night stand.

Only Dawn and Tara knew who the father was. Anyone else was a crowd.

"So..." Jack began as he took a hearty bite off his burger. "Thought yet of what to name it."

Buffy paled and suddenly the chili with blue cheese dressing wasn't so appetizing. "Hummm.... I was thinking of William..."

Jack's mouth hung opened. "After the vampire?"

Buffy fumed and stood abruptly from the outside table. Jack sighed and went after, grabbing her arm and making her look at him.

She was crying. He bit his lip. "I'm sorry--that was uncalled for... you can name him anything you'd like."

Buffy looked up at Jack... he had become a friend... a good friend. A confidant. "I miss him so much at times..."

Jack said nothing more and pulled her into his arms.

Unlike Spike he was not cold or thin.

Jack was taller, not as tall as Riley or Angel but tall enough for her head to rest on his chest not his shoulder. The chest that held a beating heart.

He just held her for a while until she pulled away from him a bit... her eyes meeting his slightly full lips.

They were pink and looked warm.

Without thinking about it she leaned in and kissed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....


	5. Nothing Gold Can Stay

**Nothing Gold can Stay** -- part 4 of The Island of Galleno (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to The Proclaimers, 500 Miles.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Special thanks to Heller for the Beta. Also--I'm typing like a maniac cause this story is just flowing through me I hope you all like--please please tell me what you think I don't bite *eg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What power has love but forgiveness?"

_William Carlos William_

She pulled away abruptly and stared at him in amazement of her own actions. For a moment she was almost seeing bleached blond hair and pale blue eyes... but it wasn't him. It wasn't Spike. She knew above the physical was the burning warmth in her lips.

Spike always left her cool and refreshed. Like ice cream on a hot Summer day... this was hot tea...

She gave a little cry and started running.

She could hear him behind her but he was no match for Slayer speed. Because that day she ran with all she had left and with all she was feeling--even those feelings she had bottled up since her mother died and she didn't care if people thought it weird that a pregnant woman was running faster than a marathon Olympian--all that mattered was that she getting away... away from something.

She ended up in his cemetery towards his place.

His scent hit her like one thousand blocks of concrete. She ran quickly to the bottom part of the crypt. Not noticing that is was half destroyed--only seeing and sensing that this was their place.

She didn't stop to see if the bed was approachable she simply buried herself in his covers and inhaled what was left of him. Almost 3 months later and she could still smell him in those sheets.

She buried her head in his pillow and sobbed.

"I'm so sorry..."

She sobbed until her chest felt like it might explode. There was raw feelings and emotions just scraping themselves against what was left of him.

Like a pendulum against fine skin, scraping and tearing what was left of her.

"I miss you..."

And she could see him smirking and touching and saying something completely inappropriate but it was ok--since it was him that was saying it.

She didn't care, she didn't care about anything except that he wasn't here anymore and he was never coming back and all that was left of them was the tiny little boy growing inside of her. And right now she couldn't decided whether to hate it or love it because the child had more of Spike than she had ever accepted.

And it hurt her--burned almost. It was an ungraspable need that she couldn't define. This need...

Small faint hours before the dawning of the sun was all she had given to him while he had showered her with love that she threw away like last Tuesday's garbage.

She had been living these past few months with a faint hope that he might still show up...after all Angel died and came back. Why couldn't Spike?

This only made her cry more at the big pile of wasteland that had always been her love life.

Only this time--the man she hoped for so long to leave her really did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_When I wake up yeah I know I'm gonna be   
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you   
When I go out yeah I know I'm gonna be   
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you_

"Back straight!"

Spike groaned and glared at the man. "I don't know why I have to learn sword fighting! I know how to handle a sword good and proper."

"Handling the sword is one thing, handling it like a gentleman is another," Archie snapped and tapped his hand against the counter, signaling for Spike to start over. "Lesson the third: when one is a gentleman one receives more respect just because you seem to be what you are."

"A gentleman! That's for poofters and nancy boys--not the likes of me!" He protested but automatically straightened his back and positioned himself in front of the dummy.

Archie counted. "1 to the right, 2 to the left... good, 3 turn around and strike on 4... no, no, no!!"

Spike growled and chopped the dummy's head off.

"He's dead," he stated.

Archie nodded. "And if he would've been real he would've gutted you before you chopped off his head."

Spike glared at the coconut head.

"I have an idea," Archie said excitedly and went back into the hut. He walked out with one of his bowls and filled it with sea water from the makeshift bucket by the door that was filled to the brim.

"Here," he said and walked to Spike. "Place this on your head, it's an ancient Chinese trick."

Spike stared at him with a scowl on his face as the filled bowl was placed on his head.

"How am I supposed to move with this thing on my head?" he asked sarcastically.

Archie went back to sit down on his rocking chair. "I guess you're going to have to learn to move with it."

Spike took three deep breaths to control himself from ripping the man's head off.

"En garde!" Archie said.

Spike went into position, making the bowl spill all over him. The wet vampire glared at the older man as wet hair dripped on his forehead.

"Fill it up again, we have plenty of sea water."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A soft knock on her door brought Willow away from her mid-term studying for her final in Physics II.

"Come in," she said, placing her pink highlighter down. She smiled gently when she saw Buffy come in then frowned when she saw her appearance.

"Buffy, what's wrong?"

Buffy shrugged and sat at the edge of what used to be her mother's bed.

"Did Jack turn out to be a Dr. Hyde?" she asked perkily.

The blonde frowned and laid herself on her best friend's lap.

"Buffy? What's wrong?" Willow asked concerned, gently running her fingers through her hair.

"I kissed Jack today..."

Willow nodded. "That's good... right?"

Buffy swallowed. "I wanted it to be Spike."

"Oh..." Willow had been shocked when Spike had died but had been never more shocked when the whole Buffy sleeping with Spike for months came out.

If it had been any other time she would've ask Buffy what the hell was she thinking when she had been with the vampire. But seeing how Buffy had taken his death she had opted to wisely keep her mouth shut--as had Xander. At this point all she could do was be supportive.

"Do you... I mean did you... love him?" Willow asked quietly.

Silence passed between the two friends as Buffy stared at the wall. This was the moment she would chose. She could come straight and say the whole truth--and nothing but the truth.

But there were no Bibles before her.

"He meant a lot... but I don't think I loved him, Will. I guess I just miss him."

The red head nodded. The painted lie was better than the truth and deep inside she knew her friend loved him.

"Of course you should miss him--plus, pregnant, tons of hormones. You're probably confused..."

"Yeah... it's the hormones."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_If I get drunk yes I know I'm gonna be   
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you   
And if I haver yeah I know I'm gonna be   
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you   
But I would walk 500 miles   
And I would walk 500 more   
Just to be the man who walked 1,000 miles   
To fall down at your door_

"Lesson the fourth: the concept of relativity," Archie corrected Spike.

"I know about this bloody concept... I just don't remember it."

Archie nodded and starting writing on the rock that was their blackboard. "Then we learn it again."

Spike rolled his eyes but continued taking notes.

"Think of it this way. The moments that you held Buffy in your arms before they took you... how long did it seem to you?"

Spike frowned--thinking of those short hours. "It seemed like seconds... in reality we stayed all night."

"Exactly," Archie wrote furiously in the board. "Now... how long have you been away from her?"

Spike looked down. "107 days yesterday, 108 days today." He bit his lip. "It seems like years."

Archie sat in front of him and nodded. "Exactly, the law of relativity. Time goes by faster doing things you like, enjoy, being with people you love."

Spike stood up and started pacing, and Archie noted that his back was completely straight. The bowl exercise had worked.

"I miss her ... I never though I'd miss her so. I guess is 'cause--"

"Because," Archie corrected.

Spike glared at him. "Because, happy now?"

Archie nodded.

"Because I know she's waiting for me... last time she was just dead and there's no coming back from that," he smiled. "Unless you're Buffy Summers."

"What's she like?" Archie asked.

Spike looked out the small hut window as the sun slowly set in the horizon. "She's amazing... she doesn't realize how amazing she is."

Archie grabbed his pipe and listened to him.

"I mean... when I first met her is was like an all consuming addiction to just... watch her... and that never went away. Even when she was sleeping next to me I just had to watch her. The way she breathed the way her hand curled right under her chin and she sighed in her sleep."

Spike lit a cigarette made out of local weeds and self rolled. "She can be the most beautiful when she's mad and she can be the most deadly when she's in love."

"Is she what you're going back for?"

Spike smirked and then frowned and his fast-consuming cigarette. "It's the whole silly gang of hers. The whole lot--made me want to hurl at times but apart from you they were the closest friends I ever had."

Archie stood up next to him to watch the sunset. "You want to know why I stay here?"

Spike looked at him. "There's way out?"

Archie nodded. "There's always a way out of everything... but where else would I see the sunset?"

Spike gaped at him. "You know a way out?"

The older vampire smiled and placed his pipe back on his mouth. "Come with me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike held the torch away from himself as he followed Archie down the steep rocks inside the cave.

"I found this back in 1985, I think and I went down here last year and it was still in pretty good condition so I know whatever is wrong with it can be fixed."

Spike nodded and ducked as a bat flew out of the cave and almost took off his head. "Nasty buggers," he commented.

Archie chuckled. "They're family, William."

Spike would've glared at the older vampire but he stopped and gaped at the sight before him. If he could have jumped up for joy he would have.

It was a boat! A yacht actually, a small one with probably only a small kitchen and a couch inside but it could protect them from the sun!

Spike cried for joy and hopped off the rock. The yacht was stationed as if trapped inside the cave. A small pool of water holding it in for years.

"How did this get here?"

Archie shrugged and smiled. "Back in the early eighties there was a nasty storm that hit the island. I found two dead bodies in it back then and I dumped them back into the sea. But it was messed up pretty badly in the storm. It'll take a lot of work, William."

Spike was grinning from ear to ear. "I have the time! I can fix it..." he looked at the boat in awe. "This is my way home!"

Archie nodded. "We shall go to town tonight, we need supplies."

"Wait... how do we get past the barrier?" Spike asked, his shoulders slumped at the obvious barrier.

Archie laughed and patted his back. "Worry not, my friend. I have a way past that too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the Sodom and Gomorrah of the island. Where in the jungles, nature rules, in these streets was the greed of men transferred into demon.

If you were to ask Spike it looked like an old western town--you could hear fights and drunken songs, merry piano rhythms as women danced to the can-can.

"Puerto de Tierra, nowhere near a port yet as perverted as an American Town," Archie commented as Spike followed him like a master leading the trainee.

Spike looked around wearily--he hated this place. He'd only come here when he needed smokes and blood.

"Hardware store should be up ahead... if it's still owned by Collins Gregor we're in luck!" Archie said excitedly.

"Collins Gregor? The Fumare demon?" Spike asked as he blew out his smoke.

"Yes, yes--decent demon if you ever found one," Archie stopped to avoid the man being thrown from the two story window who landed at their feet. Well it was more of a serpent type creature but regardless.

"Fuck you, Sinaga!" the serpent snarled and stood back up as if nothing had happened.

Spike shook his head and continued to their destination.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't Obi Wan and his Luke."

Spike turned to glare at the men who were all piled on top of what looked like a new shipment of rice.

Varro smiled at them. "Teaching him how to wield the force, old man?"

Archie continued, ignoring them.

"Give you a hint, young Skywalker--there's no way off the island!"

The men and demons laughed and Spike just ignored them while he boiled inside. He seriously wanted to decapitate the man with his bare hands.

"Lesson the second, William..." Archie reminded him.

His back straightened automatically and he could feel his demon calming.

They reached the hardware store and were greeted by a plump demon with four arms, round body and hair-less head.

"Archiebald DeLuca! What brings you here?"

Archie smiled at old demon. "Collins--I see you're still around."

Collins laughed. "Well if you wouldn't separate yourself from civilization and live up in the jungle like some ogre then you'd know for sure."

"Resentment, old boy?" Archie asked.

Collins shook his head and nodded to them. "What brings you to town?"

Archie pointed back at Spike who was eyeing the contents of the small store. "Me and my friend here were looking for wood--good wood. Waterproof."

Collins eyed him carefully. "What would you be needing the wood for, friend?"

Spike eyed the demon carefully--he didn't trust anyone on the island except for Archie. But Archie was more wiser than he could've ever imagined.

"I'm teaching the younger one about physics and chemistry--I need the wood to do it."

The demon knowing nothing of either quickly eased off and nodded. "I have some spell that will protect wood better than any lining ever would."

"Really?" Archie asked, innocently.

"Sure! I'll give you a copy as a bonus for years of service."

They left the store with their arms filled with wood planks.

"Sure this will be enough?" Spike asked the man beside him.

Archie nodded. "Positive--we'll just have to make the best of it. Funny how a little tobacco and ale can trade for large amounts of useful material."

The wind was picking up--floating dirty papers from the street up and gushing. A particular paper landed smack on Spike's face, making him stop to take it off.

But something caught his eye as he pulled it off...

**_The Annual Cage Tournament   
October 18th at the Cage_**

**_Come all that can fight and win 25 gallons of ale along with the map for the   
lost treasure in the Black Lake!_**

**_2 gold tablets to enter tournament_**

"What's this?" Spike asked Archie. Archie stopped and placed his panels down.

"They're still having the Cage tournament? Hah! The first one was started in 1985--the year Mad Max's Thunderdome came out. The men and demons here built a cage out of bamboo and metal linings... the cage of death if you ask me."

"How about this prize? The lost treasure of the Black Lake?" Spike asked as he picked up his panels and walked along side of Archie.

"I believe it's been told that in 1352 a very rich man named Atmazul became so wealthy that he buried his treasure in the Black Lake of the Moroccan desert. But when he was burying it he was killed by the lake."

Spike smirked at him. "Killed by the lake, ha bloody ha--nice kiddie story."

"The lake is black because the vapors that come from the earth, can kill humans since the air is a poisonous gas and vampires loose their strength--becoming as weak as kittens." Archie shrugged. "Even if it were true no one can retrieve the treasure."

More laughing was heard as the two vampires stopped to glare at the same crowd of men who were still crowded around the rice.

"I challenge you, William the Bloody--if Master Splinter has taught you so well I bet you can defeat the Groker," Varro laughed.

"The Groker?" Spike asked with a look of boredom on his face.

"No one can defeat the Groker!" a companion of Varro said laughing.

"Come along, William--spare them no time," Archive urged.

Spike stood still for a moment... but in reality this place was temporary. All that mattered was getting back to Buffy--this place will then be long gone. Another dream in his one hundred years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soft blue blankets and little cookie monsters adorned the small crib. She ran her fingers softly through the soft material, letting it tingle her fingertips.

"You must be really tiny about now, right?" she asked her belly. She walked around the crib and ran her finger tips along the walls of what used to be her room. Willow had moved out and she had moved all her stuff to her mother's room.

Her room was being decorated to be William's.

Xander had installed a few corner shelves and brought the crib that he bought for his 'nephew' over. Dawn bought the sheets and the little toys and Willow and Tara had helped her paint the walls baby blue --they also bought her some newborn clothes and baby books for the shelves.

What was foreign was becoming more and more real.

She looked over at the rocking chair they had dug out from the basement. It was the rocking chair her mother had used for both Dawn and her... some of the parts needed to be replaced since the flood but Xander was able to fix it. Anya had gotten her a colorful pregnancy guide book and tons of diapers... even at six months she was already getting diapers.

She sat in her rocking chair that was now painted white. "I guess it's just you and me now, William."

She placed her hands on her large belly as if protecting it. "What do you think of your new room?" She looked around the over emphasis of blue, yellow and white. "It's definitely a boy's room, right?" She smiled. "You daddy would've hated it--all the pastels... he would've wanted to introduce you to the Ramones before you were two..." she chuckled sadly. "I hope you look like him... I really do..."

She rocked her still unborn baby back and forth, staring off into the window. A soft knock broke into her thoughts.

"Hey, baby..."

Jack walked around the rocking chair and kissed her forehead. "Enjoying quiet time?"

Buffy smiled at her boyfriend and nodded. "Yeah... he was restless all morning so a little quiet time is of the good."

"How about you... feeling better?" His dark blue eyes shined at her.

She gave him a tight smile. "100% better." She lied.

He extended his hand. "C'mon, the play starts in an hour--we want to get good seats."

She took his hand, careful not to rip the brand new gown Jack had bought her and followed him out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(3 months later)

He put all his strength behind his hammering as he restored the side of the boat--everything must be sealed so that it would sustain any storm they might encounter. The tournament was one month away and the island had been sizzling with activity--making sneaking off to the boat harder and harder.

"This your poem, William?" Archie asked as he went through his pupil's notes.

Spike frowned and stopped hammering. He grabbed his discarded shirt to dry himself off from the sea water. His hair had outgrown it's bleach, it was now a bit long--so that it curled along his ears and light brown--almost blond with the sun's rays.

"It's private, mate," he said angrily.

Archie arched his red eyebrow at him. "Like I don't know whom they are for... mate."

Spike sat down next to the older vampire and took the papers from him. "They're no good, anyways... always was a bloody awful poet."

Archie took the papers back from Spike. "Actually you have the skeleton done right... you just need..." Archie closed his eyes to make his point. "Feeling. The pure raw emotion behind poetry--good poetry."

"I do try that... it's just that..."

"No! You're trying to rhyme emotions. That would make a poem sound like one large lullaby. Now, if you just say what you're feeling words will simply flow through your mouth and onto the paper... like tears upon the night at it's darkest hour."

Spike blinked at him. "That's not bad, mate. So you're a swordsman, a physicist, a chemist, a carpenter, a trainer, philosopher... what else do you do?"

Archie smiled and handed Spike back his hammer. "After you've been alive as long as I have you find out life is much more complex than what you think."

They were interrupted by a loud booming type of sound. Coming ... from the sky.

Archie lit up and too the flashlight. "Come on, William--new arrivals to the island!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The time for new arrivals was a time of change... it was usually when they got news of the outside world. Was the world in it's third World War? The newbie would usually tell.

The demon, human and vampires hunted for the newbie for as long as it took. Spike had hid well, it had taken them some time to find him. But this Hualty demon was large... and generally not smart. Facts were facts with him--there was no critical thinking.

They found him about five hours after he had been dropped off. He was hungry, cranky and scared.

It took the coaxing of a few other Hualty demons to convince him that this place was safe for creatures like him--they after all had plenty of ale and outdated Playboys to last a lifetime.

So it was back to the dying fire by the beach--Spike stayed away from the crowd and clung to Archie. They simply listened as the newcomer talked about what was happening in the outside demon world.

It was a good night to take off. Sipping beer...

"The news from the east is that an entire clan of Unganites was taken out by the army boys, along with Tary --their king for over five hundred years," the newcomer said.

"The army is asking for it!" A vampire roared. "One of these days all demons will unite and take over this stinking planet!"

Spike rolled his eyes as did Archie at the naive talk of taking over the world.

"The Slayer wouldn't let you, idiot!" a spiny demon told the vampire.

Spike tensed at the mention of Buffy... he would kill anyone here who said a word against her.

"He's right, the Slayer wouldn't let you," another vampire agreed while he gulped down his whiskey.

The newcomer laughed and Spike glared at him. "What of it, mate?"

The demon laughed again. "Oh just that I forgot the biggest news of all. The Slayer's dead, man--she died last month, some vampire gang joined up and sucked her dry over in Sunnydale."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...


	6. Darkest Before Dawn

**Darkest Before Dawn** -- part 5 of The _Island of Galleno _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to The Proclaimers, 500 Miles.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get

back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: PLEASE READ!! A lot of you have been contacting me--kinda upset because of the Jack angle. I don't blame you--I would be upset too if I were the reader. But remember that it's all part of the tale and that this is indeed a B/S fiction. Yes, Jack will become a love interest for Buffy--she has no idea who or what he did. Will Spike return home right away? No--have patience he had a lot of learn in his journey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The cure for all ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word 'love.' It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life."

_Lydia Maria Child_

He folded his shirt neatly like he had been taught for years. Pressed white and wrinkle-free. He was a soldier, a damn good soldier and the jewel of the government's eye.

He remembered the years in West Point. He had been the best--a born leader. He had learned to lie with a smile on his face since he was 4 years old. He'd also learned to be cruel at the tender age of seven when he ripped Margaret Rith's doll's head off and fed it to his Doberman. Margaret cried for days... but no one believed her. Jack Marshall, son of Senator-to-be Richard Marshall would never do such a thing.

He stood--back straight--and placed his pressed shirt on his large locker. This was just a project he kept telling himself. A project before he was promoted. Jack-never-seen-a-battlefield smiled at himself in the locker mirror and walked out in his civilian clothes to have some of the hard as hell mash potatoes that gave his pregnant girlfriend's recipe a run for it's money. If he had not worked with the very prestigious Section 435 --which used to be called the Initiative-- for the past three years he would've thought that she was carrying the vampire's child. But she was not as innocent as those large green eyes told.

The vampire would live all his life thinking that she loved only him while she was spreading her dimpled knees to a one night stand at 8AM while fucking him dry by 10PM.

_Smart girl_, he thought with a smirk. But not smart enough for Jack-145-IQ.

The dining hall was like another Army metal house. Only Section 435 had little posters of career development with models who badly needed makeup to cover up their human skin flaws.

As he entered the hall the soldiers stopped their eating.

No--he thought...they were not going to salute. The hollow feelings in their eyes told him otherwise. They were the same as him. Ivy league graduated with fathers in positions that would get them in others.

Well bred, middle America raised with Prep-School backgrounds and vacations in France.

"Marshall... glad you could join us," Officer McCoy said, with a slick white smile on his face and glittering eyes... twice Jack's size.

Jack rolled his eyes and grabbed his plate. "What is that supposed to mean?"

A couple of chuckles were heard in the room and he ignored them as he filled his plate with mashed potatoes and re-heated meatloaf.

All eyes were on him and he sat by himself on the corner table. But he was soon joined by ten other white collar officers who circled him like hyenas spotting prey. Snickering with white teeth of Floride and paste. He filled his mouth with crunchy mash potatoes and looked straight ahead to the career poster of a man in a business suit.

The hyenas sat on top of his table and McCoy placed his ass next to his tray, making Jack to stop eating and glare at the officer.

"Do you mind?" he asked.

McCoy laughed and grabbed the spoon on his tray, picking up a healthy portion of Mashed potatoes. He brought the full spoon to his face to study the white substance.

"Tell me... how does it feel to fuck a vampire's whore?"

Jack stood up abruptly, making the chair he was sitting on fall and clatter loudly on the gray tiles.

McCoy smiled--he'd gotten the response he had searched for. "I guess it's not all that --is it daddy's boy?"

"You'll be the one to talk, McCoy," Jack glared at the son of the Mayor.

White bread with the spoon smiled and dropped the mashed potatoes unceremoniously on his pants. "Oops--look at that."

Jack growled--as much as a human white boy could and grabbed McCoy by the lapels of his shirt. A whistle blew that made all the men separate.

"Marshall!"

Jack-IQ145 stood stock still, back straight and hand folded by forehead in a salute.

"Lieutenant Major, Watson."

The older man waltzed into the room, pressed hat under his right arm and metal club swinging like a Zoot Suit on a Mardi Gras.

"I know you soldiers are getting along, aren't you?" he asked, directly glaring at McCoy and Jack.

McCoy took a deep breath. "Yes sir, we are, sir."

The Major turned his head and looked at Jack, raising his eyebrow as he saw his mash potatoes stained pants. "Need a bib, Lieutenant?"

Jack's jaw hardened. "No, sir."

The Major walked slowly, menacingly, his spit shined shoes making soft clanking noise as he walked to stand in front of Jack.

"And are you going to stand there with them dripping on the clean floor?" he asked in almost a whisper.

He might've popped his jaw from the pressure he was putting behind it --he was two seconds from doing that when two of the younger officers snickered at the Major's comments. His head snapped to the side to glare at them like a raptor on a hunt.

"Something funny, soldiers?"

They straightened up and answered in unison. "No, sir."

The Major looked around and glared at all of them. "As you were, soldiers." With that he walked out.

Jack looked down at his pants. He cursed internally, he would have to change again since he promised Buffy Summers that he would go to the next Doctor's appointment with her.

McCoy walked in front of him and smiled. "We'll finish this some other time, Marshall." Others laughed and filed out of the metal cafeteria. He was left with career posters of smiling professionals.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you asked him years later what he felt at that moment all he could tell you is death.

One that had caused death for so long was tasting death as it poured down his throat like hot coals. Burning all of him in a thick black muddy breath.

He didn't realized that was screaming and grabbing the demon until the blood spluttered in his sigh and it stung his eyes.

He could hear voices and noises but all he knew was the pain that was coursing down his throat--burning him from the inside out. He was waiting for spontaneous combustion any moment now and somehow it was welcomed.

He couldn't remember anymore what had caused this pain to rip at the very root of his being--all he knew is that he wanted to die. Die, dead, death like the body before him. Shredded into pieces by his own bare hands--by his own bare thoughts, dreams and memories.

He knew only one way to die. And with that he ran down the beach into the welcoming blue light.

Archie couldn't stop his young friend. It took him a second to realize what he was doing--when blood had spluttered on everyone's ale cup the silence penetrated the island like the sea before a storm.

No one had killed anyone outside of the Cage --ever.

Archie and Varro ran after Spike as he growled and screamed down the beach.

They dove after him after he had thrown himself in the water. The black water of night that welcomed him with open arms.

"Spike!" they screamed after him.

But he ignored them and let the water wash over him like a holy river that cleanses the soul, taking away the grime and blood from his hands and chest and little flecks from his hair.

He was drowning and he loved it--loved the forgetting, loved the nothingness that accompanied the large gulps of salty sweet water.

Seaweed was getting stuck in his teeth and he didn't care he wanted the light, the pure shinning blue light that would mean the end.

Because without her he couldn't...

He was grabbed by four large hands when thoughts of her came into his clouded mind. He screamed again--over and over again. Until he was drowning and waving and crying and sobbing and numb with too much emotion at the same time.

This wasn't right--he wasn't right. Vampires couldn't feel this way, it was undemonic and he hated it. Hated everyone of his damn emotions and they flooded him like the water from the sea. Hands tried to control him and kept him from the light--he screamed in frustration--anger and just....

"Stop!" they screamed at him.

He got even madder and started cursing--sputtering words he hadn't said in months--cursing all the gave and took life, cursing God himself.

When there was no reaching the blue light, when there was no end to his drowning he arched back and screamed... until he bled, he screamed. Until he flooded the sea with his tears--the tears of a vampire, the tears of a demon.

He felt himself being pulled, away...away...so far away.

Where was he going--his eyes glazed over and his lips shredded and the constant chewing of his fangs.

Now all he knew was that he was sobbing, sobbing as they dragged him by his arms--his legs leaving a trail on the beach. Wet, confused, and trying to find 101 words to describe despair.

Desolation--he was alone... so alone. There was nothing worth living for...there was nothing worth crying for...there was nothing. The Nothing had taken over him and eaten away his insides until all that was left was a hollow body with sea water for tears.

Gloom-- the day was a perpetual night. A place of thunder and gray clouds. A place where everything was one large gray color, a Charlie Chaplin movie with no humor and no smiles.

Depression-- his eyes glazed over as they carried him. Carried him where? To the place of no return? He didn't care. Life was a bitch--he was a bitch--she was a bitch--it was a world full of bitches that were mortal and died.

Except for him. He was still here.

Still there as they carried him to the hut that had become his home and they tried to lay him in bed and he arched, and growled and fought.

Until Archie grabbed his hair, pulled his head back and growled--bringing out his game face.

Spike whimpered and his eyes rolled back. There was nothing inside of him. All hell mourned.

"Snap out of it!"

He growled and snapped his fangs at him.

A stinging slap. He wheezed a laugh. Give me some more!

Words being told to him, whispers ... it was nothing to him.

"God will give you vengeance!"

_God would give him vengeance._ If you've never heard anyone laugh and cry at the same time you wouldn't have believed that he did it.

"There is no god!" he cried. He though about it more. And screamed it louder. "You hear me? There is no god!"

His hair was grabbed rougher and tighter. "You might not believe it but it's there!"

"I have no god!" he wailed and his eyes rolled back even more. "She..." Her name hurt his tongue and it failed to curve around her name. "I'm a demon!"

He grabbed Archie's shoulders. "I.Want.To.Die."

"You're already dead, friend."

Spike looked at him. Eyes that had always told him truth. He held his gaze. He held it for all that was--like a life boat on a calming sea.

"Vengeance... vengeance is all you have now..." he told him softly.

Spike sunk down in the bed and let the sobs wash over him like a lost wave on the large sea...until his muscles hurt too much to move.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang three times before it was picked up.

"Senator Marshall's private line how might I help you?" the female voice said--educated and perfect.

"Holly? It's me, Jack."

The secretary smiled. "Hello Jack--your father is in a very important meeting--"

"Tell him it's an emergency!"

Holly gulped. Like father like son.

"I'll see if I can get through," she said curtly and placed him on hold. Taking a deep breath she stood up and knocked softly on the door.

A shy knock on the oak door and there was scrambling heard in the other side of the door--a small female squeak.

"Just a minute, Holly--" He knew he wouldn't be disturbed unless it was a real important matter.

A bit disheveled Senator opened the door and straightened up. A young petite woman in her early 20's tucked her messy hair behind her ear and walked out of the office.

"We'll discuss those cases later on, Mindy," he said with indifference.

Holly glared at him. "Your son is on line 3 --he sounds pissed."

The Senator cleared his throat and nodded. "I'll take it in my office."

"Father?"

The Senator gulped his coffee. "Jack, I was in a very important meeting."

"Screwing the newest intern is not as important as this," his retorted.

"Jack Nathaniel Marshall! I am your father!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I need you to get me out of here--I'm sick of these idiots treating me like I'm a nobody."

The Senator rubbed his temples. He had hated his time in the army too. "Fine--Give me a couple of days."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time was a hollow companion on the Isle of the Dead.

For days he stayed staring at her picture frame and holding the earring until it might have broken in his fingers... and it poked him, until blood ran down his hand and to the earthy floor--but he didn't care. The pain told him that she was dead and he was dead and the whole world was their graveyard.

Occasionally Archie and Varro force fed him...but blood ran down his throat and he didn't care whether he lived or died.

He didn't care.

Life was nothing, air was nothing, nothing past the gold frame and the twinkling earring embedded in his hand.

He didn't count the days but Archie did. Spike had been staring off to space for four days and seven hours.

The older vampire kept an account at the reactions of a soulless vampire when he learned that the one thing he loved was gone. Though she had died before this time she had loved him back--and he had not been there to protect her.  


_September 6th, 2002_

_He has not moved from his position. He sits on the cot and stares at the frame which contains the picture of the Slayer. His Slayer. I find it most interesting--bedside's the vampire's obvious pain--the question of humanity and how much humanity is left when a person becomes a vampire? We still do not know what caused the Slayer's death but we'll never known unless we get out of here. Having William staring into nothing makes it hard to work on my own, plus though Varro has helped out I am not sure if it is wise to trust the human._

_The human Varro seems to have compassion towards the vampire, but finds himself questioning why exactly he is helping. Perhaps it's the fact that looking at the vampire's eyes tells tales of pain and suffering beyond what is sustainable in a soulless body. It chills even the most uncaring creature to the bone._

_There is anger and frustration building within him and I can see one day it will bring his death._

_Apart from total sorrow I see love that is still as bright as a night fire. He cares not for anything other than her and it's moments when small tears fall from his hollow eyes that I wonder if all love isn't completely selfish in every way. To love it is to want it and to want it is to need it. I think one day William will look back and make this moment his altar. Make it what turns him into a man--not a young fleeting vampire with too much love of life. But a man who has seen the troubles of the world and let it harden him to the core. There is no regression in this process and there is nothing I can do for him, all is in his hands again. The only way to stop the evolution in him will be to bring his love back, soulless creatures do not move on._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Toothpaste," Xander said as he held the list.

Buffy scanned the contents inside the overnight bag. "Check."

"Lotion?"

"Two bottles--scented and unscented."

"Alrighty, then." he looked around. "You're packed and ready, mommy."

Buffy frowned down at her 9 months--about to pop-belly. "Why can't we just pop them out--like poop."

Xander closed his eyes and raised his hands. "With the imagery!"

Buffy looked at him. "Sorry--you're not the whale...I just know I'll never get my shape back. Goodbye Size 2 land."

Xander looked at her as if she'd grown another head. "You know, Buffy--speaking from one male to a female. Guys like girls with a little meat on their bones. You look wonderful and you'll still look wonderful once the baby is out."

Buffy gave him a watery smile. "I think mom would've liked to see the baby...she never had a son."

Xander wrapped his arms around her as best he could. "Yeah... she would've loved it."

"...Xander...?"

"Yeah?"

"...my water broke..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_September 13th, 2002_

_William emerged from his catatonic condition yesterday. Both Varro and I were outside making new ropes from bamboo strips when he walked out of the hut and started helping us. We said nothing--afraid to scare him away like a wild animal. But he was not the same William I knew from before and I suspect that he would never be the same._

_It had been almost three weeks since the Slayer was killed and he says nothing on the matter, I will not force him either. He mentions nothing of the yacht by the old caves and he doesn't say he wants to leave the island. If I were not younger I would not be able to see that he doesn't want to go on living._

_So why does he sit and help us make new ropes? I know not and neither will I ever know. I have come to the conclusion that he's working on auto-pilot. Hungry: feed. Tired: sleep. Light: awake._

_He's deader than he's ever been and I know that if he doesn't snap out of it and continues with the evolution in which I have predicted he will go mad. At night when the jungle is quiet I hear him speaking to her dead soul I know now he will speak to her until the end of his days._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ok, Buffy--look at me," the young doctor said.

The Slayer panted and groaned. "Get it out... oh god!"

She screamed again and tore the handle of the chair right off. One of the nurses backed away for her safety.

"Listen to me! You must breathe--you have to think of your baby!"

Buffy looked at her hollowly and panted.

"It's critical and you can loose it if you don't listen to me."

Somehow that got the Slayer's attention. "Please, please save my baby..."

"I'm going to try my best but it'll only work if you try your best, ok, honey?"

Buffy nodded vigorously.

"Now I need to stop pushing so I can move him just a bit--that way he won't tear you, okay honey?"

Another contraction hit Buffy and she clenched her jaw almost to the point of breaking. "I want Spike..." she whimpered after a while. "Please please please..." she murmured almost deliriously.

A nurse ran a wet cool towel over her sweaty forehead. "There, there, hon'ychild," she whispered. "Be a strong mommy, your bay'by is countin' on you."

Buffy closed her eyes and memorized the kind face. "No pushing," she told herself and groaned and she young doctor worked inside of her to save her child... hers and Spike's child.

Pain ripped through her and down her lower back. She cried out softly but held her muscles still. More cool dabbing on her face and soft murmuring words.

"Ok, Buffy, when I tell you I want you to push, push with all your might!"

Pain again... was she allowed to push this time.

Where are you, Spike?

"Push, Buffy!"

She pushed. With her anger and frustration and sorrow.

"There it is!"

When she opened her eyes the doctor was holding up a small tiny wrinkly body who was making more noise than her.

Small tiny arms waived tiny fists.

She couldn't help but want to cry and laugh at the same time. There it was --the one tiny person that was a combination of her and Spike--all that was left of him.

She wanted to hold him--hold him and never let him go.

"Look at him, mommy--a healthy baby boy!" the kind nurse handed the still whimpering baby to Buffy who could just stare at him with tears running down her face.

"Oh god... oh god..." she could only continue the same mantra especially when it was so small and light in her arms.

She touched his cheek and he finally opened his eyes. She had to laugh out of happiness when back at her stared two pale blue eyes.

"Hello, there William... William Jacob Summers."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We begin training in the morning--4AM," Spike informed Archie one night before they went to bed.

In the darkness of the hut Archie sat up and looked at him.

"Training for what?" the older vampire asked.

"The Cage... I'm going to win first place." his voice was dark and grim.

"If you want ale, William I have some--"

"I want the map," he stated.

"The black sea treasure?" Archie inquired and turned on the light.

"You said it could be true," Spike told him--hollow eyes looking at the ceiling.

"I can research--"

"You do that, regardless I'm going to fight it, the contest is in two weeks. I have to be in tip-top shape."

Archie nodded and grabbed his glasses. He needed medieval history. Tapping his fingers together he skimmed his titles."

"Archie?"

The older man paused and turned to look at Spike. "I'm out for blood... and there will be no mentioning of her name ever again."

Archie studied the vampire in the small light.

While one researched the other burned with a consuming want to destroy all that was alive...all that had a heartbeat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_She was not even close to falling asleep but pretending to be deep in sleep when he came into her small room._

_He kissed her forehead and she fluttered her eyes opened._

_"You did beautiful, luv," he said._

_She smiled up at him. "He looks just like you, Spike--have you seen him?"_

_Her lover nodded. "He has your nose," he smiled._

_Colder hand wrapped around hers. "Hold me..." she whispered._

_And there she was again in his embrace. "God I miss you... I can't do this without you...."_

_He pulled back and kissed her softly. "When you most need me I'll be there."_

_"But I need you now!"_

_He shushed her and laid her back down. "At times it might seem like I don't love you but I do."_

_"I know you love me," she whispered and held on to him, making him lie on bed next to her. "We're a family, William--I need you back."_

_"You'll never have a family, pet."_

_Hurt in her eyes and lips as they trembled at his harsh words. "What--"_

"Buffy!!"

She snapped her eyes opened. Over her was not the same blue eyes but the darker ones of Jack.

"Shhh, baby--it was a bad dream," he murmured and took her into his arms.

She whimpered.

She hated the dream when he was mean.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked. She shook her head and whiped her tears with a small shaky hand.

"No."

"You're not worried are you? About the future and William and Dawn?"

Buffy sighed. Of course she was! "Of course I am, Jack--you know I have no money!"

He took her small shoulder into his hands. "Let me take care of you, Buffy."

She gaped at him.

"I'm a good man--and I have the money Buffy, you'll never need anything. I'll take care of you, Dawn and tiny Jacob--"

"William," she corrected.

He smiled dismissively. "Please let me... I love you, Buffy," he thought carefully. "My soul loves you."

"Your soul?" she asked--interested and almost amazed.

"I do baby, I do--since the first time I saw you..."

"I'm the Slayer, Jack..."

"And I used to be the Initiative boy, remember? Demon hunting is my gig also."

Buffy winced at that thought. A Demon hunter that had killed Spike... accidentally. "Used to be?"

"Didn't I tell you? I'm running for office--my contract with the army is up... my father pulled a few strings..."

"But that's your career, Jack." Buffy reasoned with him, feeling dizzy.

"I'm twenty eight, Buffy... I started West Pointe when I was seventeen... I want a home now."

Buffy pushed him off. "I won't be your Betty Crocker..."

"I love you, Buffy--nothing else," he took her hands and got down on one knee. "Buffy Summers... will you marry me?"

Buffy stared at him ... she couldn't believe he was doing this... the last person who had proposed... it seemed so long ago. Perhaps it was the fact that she hardly had any food left in her cupboards, or maybe the fact that she now had a child, or the fact that she was so incredibly lonely and lost.

She nodded. "Yes, Jack... I'll be your wife."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE END... just kidding *bg* TBC...

A/N: I know you hate me right now but trust me and just take deep breaths, those help. Plus the story is far from over. It's just the beginning.


	7. Angels Mercy Sing

**Angels Mercy Sing **-- part 6 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: From now on this next few chapter will concentrate more on Spike--since Buffy's settled down a bit. But I repeat--what's happened with Buffy & Jack does NOT mean she's moved on. We all know Buffy and know she likes stability, her little piece of normalcy. Just hang on there *g*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour."_

_William Blake_

Dawn will hate her for weeks. When she found out about the news she told her Spike would hate her for doing this and that little William would too.

She got the pregnancy blues.

She picked up her crying baby... she really had no clue before this how to be a mommy, but it almost came naturally to her, plus she had been reading all those books that Anya had bought her.

Tara and Willow had spoiled her child rotten. Did all types of protection spells and blessings, and bought him more toys than what he could handle.

Jack was something else. Anything she wanted she got.

She wanted new shoes? She got her three new pairs. She wanted take out? He would get her Chinese and Indian.

She looked down at her week old son while he sucked greedily from her enlarged breast. His eyes were closed and a small fuss of blond hair was sticking up--she had tried to comb it down but it was a bit rebellious. His cheeks were pink and his skin was the palest ivory. He was tiny. Well both her and Spike were not large framed people.

He had perfect little fingers and tiny toes, and the bluest eyes she'd ever seen.

He's opened his eyes only 4 times and immediately Dawn told her he was going to be a Spike replica when he grew up.

She didn't know if she was glad for that. She would eventually have to tell her friends...that is if she ever lived to see him grow up.

She held him closer.

"I love you, William..."

Her baby stopped suckling and Buffy knew instinctively it was time for the burping hour. She picked up his tiny body as his little legs rolled up and he became restless.

She placed a white rag on her shoulder and placed him over it.

She could hear him making gurgling noises and turned to look at him.

He was still so tiny... she kissed his eyes and smelled his hair. He smelled like heaven.

William started crying. Small baby whimpers.

She burped him fast yet gentle and sang under her breath to calm him. He eventually stopped and she felt him go stiff.

Turning to look at him she saw he was fast asleep with a little fist in his mouth.

"Shh... my love... daddy will be home soon..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Day 5 of the training_

"You must know your opponent in the first three seconds of seeing him, feeling him, sensing him." Archie said as he walked around Spike.

Spike was sitting--yoga style with only what was left of his jeans and a bamboo pole on his hand. Back straight and blindfolded.

"Can we skip this bloody part?" Spike roared.

Archie who was holding a bamboo pole of his own cracked it against Spike's skull, stunning the unprepared vampire.

"Bloody 'ell!" he rubbed the back of his head and glared at the vampire through the blindfold.

"If you want to learn how to fight in back alleys watch Mortal Combat--if you want to be a master, you listen to me," he replied calmly.

Spike straightened again and concentrated.

"Nature tells you what she's feeling, what is coming, when it's coming and from where it's coming..." he said slowly, hypnotic. "The wind moves with the object and the tiniest noise can be heard from an astute vampire."

Archie stood behind Spike and placed his pole gently across his shoulder blades. "Stand up... be one with the pole, let it part of your spine, of your back of your neck... let it be connected to you."

"And don't say you can't," he replied, before Spike could protest.

Spike took a deep breath but stopped himself as he remembered that Archie had told him breathing was noise to his ears and to his enemy. No breathing, live longer.

Controlling all the muscles of his back he made the poll part of himself and stood up, standing completely straight and letting the poll stay on his back.

"Now... jump, turn around and hit my pole with the one in your hands."

And he did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The non-existent trade system was a clouded one on the island. On the new moon all the creatures of the island would stand at _La Palchera_--the place where the cargo was thrown down. It was a flat small mountain that had a small lake in the middle of it. Aside from this incredible flux of nature was the fact that on the new moon the lake lit up naturally. For living around the reed bushes that surrounded the lake were millions of fireflies. Magical fireflies that lit up on the new moon--making the lake sparkle like a lit diamond.

The cargo plane would drop the goods in the lit lagoon, then about three 'wrappers' would swim out to the 7 cargos and tie strong ropes around the shipments--the rest of the islanders would pull from the shore.

When all 7 shipments were retrieved they would be hauled to the town center where the particular shop owners would take what they would sell. The hardware store took the wood, and any tools.

The ale would be separated equally among the two bars in town. Selina, for the more poor folk who didn't mind cheap beer and mad whiskey. Damasco for the creatures with more wealth who enjoyed rare beer and fine cognac.

All the clothing would be given to Madame Merius who was the seamstress of the island and all clothing and cloth could be accessed through her.

Food for the humans and demons was given to Toby O'Mally who was in charge of the small grocery store. Since there was little electricity on the island the milk could only be stored for 3 days. Therefore for only three days in the month was milk accessible. If any woman would get pregnant the milk was given to the child. But since 1984 there had only been 3 children born. It was said that if you went to Pauma, the old woman that lived by the South sea she would perform a female operation for three gold coins and seven yards of cloth. Therefore most women or female demons went to her willingly.

Blood for the vampires and the bat-demons was given to Hang, he kept a small cooling system so that they would have good blood the entire month. Plus he had a team of five hunters that went out into the jungle to capture all types of wild animals and drain their blood. The fur was given to Madame Merius so make good clothing for the winter months.

There were never weapons brought to the island. The only weapons were the ones that were made from wood and the few that were made by Gasto, the blacksmith. Metal was rare to come by and the weapons were owned by the very wealthy and Cage Committee that had various swords, large hammers, and lances--nails and small hammers always went to the hardware store so the blacksmith mostly dealt with the larger things.

Demons and men became wealthy on the island by the time periods they had been there. When creatures were first moved to the island they claimed lands and built small huts out of bamboo. That was in 1923, as time went by wood was used for the building of Puerto de Tierra, now most folk lived in the small town, population 364.

145 Large demons 112 Vampires 55 Humans 52 Small demons

No one dominated anyone, but the riches mostly went to humans who saw with greed, the demons were mostly happy to be feed and bathed.

There was no water system. The fresh water was stored in large gallons in the back of the stores and homes --public water was held every three buildings and anyone could drink and use it for their purposes. Baths were often taken in the lakes and the rivers by the large waterfalls.

In 1962 a small map was made of the island. They had counted that it was almost 42km long and 6km wide. Most of the population of the island was on it's west coast, as that was the closest place to _La Palchera_. The island itself was shaped like a leaf, a thin leaf. With small gulfs and steep rocks at the south bend of it. With all the trees and the small mountains within the small island it took a normal human over 4 days to get to the other side of it... if they didn't encounter any wild animals.

This was the island that had begun the preparations for it's one and only festivity.

The Cage Festival.

The festival lasted for 5 days.

On the first day of the festival the contestants would be shown off and the creatures would place bets on whom would win. There could be as many contestants as they liked but few entered for fear of death. Only one human had ever entered the tournament back in 1994. Geoffrey Nayk, he had died in the second round and from then on no more had ever entered. That day there was also roasting of many wild pigs and lots of ale to keep all the members happy. On the first day all the contestants fought another contestant. There were two ways of winning. By killing the other or by saying '_cordia_', the Spanish word for Mercy cut short. If the losing party indeed said the word then they would be let out of the cage and the other would be declared the winner. Many times the words were said and they were killed anyways but no one mentioned it.

The second day was the winners of the previous days' fights taking on each other. At night there was a dance, traditional to the Gansthu demons and all would dance until the wee hours of the night.

The third day would be the winners of the second day fighting against each other. By this time there were usually only 6 or so left.

The fourth day was a day of preparations for the post fifth day party. There would be dancing and games and all would drink merry and congratulate the winners. It was also a day of relaxing for the last 3 or 4 left for the championship.

On the fifth day horns would be sounded and flowers were thrown in the path of the finalists. They would be clothed with thick capes made by the seamstress. In the colors of red, blue, green, and orange. The red was worn by the previous year's winner.

The fights would begin at 3pm sharp after a heavy lunch was had. In the final battle the winner was required to kill the loser. Two creatures in, one creature out. That was the motto.

A banquet was had in honor of the winner and women, both human and demon, would perform belly dancing for the winner--his bed would not be empty that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was anger building inside of him. Anger such as he'd never thought he'd feel. He hated more than he did when Angelus took Drusilla, he hated more than when he got his chip, he hated more than when Buffy died the first time, he hated everything around him. But above all he hated himself.

He was becoming stone cold and emotionless, the moment his mind would slip that soft white spot he would retreat and almost growled, snapping fangs at himself and fighting a mirror image he couldn't see, taste or hear but could feel miles away.

The physical pain he was feeling now as Archie kept adding more coconuts on top of him was almost welcomed. He wanted to lie there in the thick sand just feel the weight of the world bearing down on him until it crushed his lungs and heart.

"Tell me when to stop, William," he heard Archie call as Varro added more coconuts to the pit Spike was lost in.

"Keep going," the vampire said quietly, but his teacher heard him.

_September 26th_

_The final stages of the evolutionary process I have predicted has taken a toll on my young friend. He has become emotionless and hard, wretched and miserable, hiding within his shell and pushing everything away._

_I know that this preparation for the tournament is only a way to keep his mind off things, with the anger that he has inside of him we could tear the entire village apart until the sea ran red with blood._

_He wants and loves the physical pain, it fills him as much as you can fill an empty body that won't let anything in. The tests are becoming harder and more dangerous but he thrives on it. It makes him whole... as whole as you can place pieces that have been scattered forever._

_He still wants off the island, when we're not training he's fixing the boat. He talks about going out and finding the men who did this. I asked him if he were going to take on governments themselves and he answered more wisely than I expected._

_'To beat the government you have to play in their arena' said he._

_'Running for office now?' asked I._

_'No, going to find me that treasure and manipulate them with my wealth, politicians salivate at the site of fortune.'_

_And right he is. I dare say I fear for the man who crosses paths with this enraged demon. Hell hath no fury like a scorched man._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was trying, she really was. This smile, this sparkle it was all mechanically produced.

Inside she was a dead shell, even her baby sensed it. He would whimper and cry and be restless in the night not letting her sleep.

It was 4AM and William was sobbing in his crib. Buffy had tried to pick him up, that didn't work. He wasn't hungry, he wasn't sleepy... he was just...

She didn't know what to do she felt like crying too.

"Please William..." she begged as she rubbed his little back as he lay on his tummy, curled up into a ball.

Little red face with rebellious blond hair ignored her and continued sobbing, little fists moving back and forth, trying to do something... she didn't know what else to do. He was waking up Dawn who had school in the morning.

She finally pulled on sweats and wrapped her baby in a thick blanket to protect him from the night's cool air. Despite his protest and rabid cries she took him outside and down the path to where Spike's abandoned lair lay.

The moment she stepped outside the baby quieted.

"You like the night, William?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her in wonderment, forcing his small fist inside his mouth.

She walked him into the cemetery and through the gravestones. His blue eyes wide with curiosity though she knew he could only see blurs he seemed to like the gray blurs of the stone tablets.

"This is the south cemetery," she spoke to him softly.

He made some gurgling noise that made her smile and kiss the top of his small head.

She walked him to Spike's crypt and she could instantly tell that his spirits were lifted.

"Yes, this was daddy's house... or hole..."

More gurgling sounds and more fist chewing.

She showed him around the crypt, showing the TV, the old refrigerator, everything. He marveled at it all as she told him small stories of things she remembered.

"One time he was painting his nails... you know that wouldn't be a good influence for you." she smiled.

She took him to the lower part of the crypt, dusting the bed before settling down William on Spike's old sheets.

"And this was our bed," she smiled down at him as she unwrapped him, his little legs went into a kicking frenzy. "Yeah, smells like him, doesn't it?"

William agreed with her as much as a baby may by trying to eat both of his fists.

She lay down next to him watching him chew happily on himself as his wide blue eyes studied all of the room. She ran her fingers through his blond hair and kissed him.

"You're going to look just like him," she smiled at him. He offered her this chewed-on first. "No thanks--mommy is almost a vegetarian."

She sighed and looked around the room. She had cleaned it up as best she could, taken away all of the debris and corpses of little aliens.

"We spent a lot of time here... I forgot how much time we spent here. He would've loved to see you, William... yes, I think he would've had been freaked out at first but eventually he would have not been able to take his eyes off you..." she looked down and smiled as her baby lay sound asleep.

"Yeah, if he would've been alive," she said softly and kissed his forehead watching as he sighed in his sleep, there amongst the smell of his father and the warmth of his mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"William!"

Spike came stumbling into the small hut, panting from the weight training of tree trunks. "Yeah, mate?"

"I found it!"

Spike sat down next to the older vampire as he spread his work on the table. There were over fifteen open books on the table and on the floor, all well read and marked on the important passages.

They had found tid-bits about the Black Lake Treasure but nothing with solid validity.

"Here, in the scrolls of Papious II, he writes 'The knowledge has come to me in this past twelfth month that indeed Atmazul the Great has taken all of his fortunes into the red desert where only the strongest of animals live. He traveled with two dozen men and all but four died in the perilous journey. He traveled deep, angering the desert gods and insulting them by swimming down into the deep waters of the sacred black lake. There he placed one hundred and eleven chests filled with gold and precious jewels such as the world has never known. There in the red desert they lay, many have tried to find it...many have failed. There is no getting the black treasure back without angering the gods themselves."

Spike sat back and smiled.

"I'm going after it, mate."

Archie took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "It's not that simple, my friend. Where shall you get loyal companions to accompany you, no vampire can carry one hundred eleven chests filled with gold. And no one can make it alone. There are creatures in this red desert that you have never heard of. Ancient creatures of unspoken terror..."

Spike laughed and patted Archie's back. "You need to get out more, mate you sound like you're warning a child about the boogie man. While I'm the boogie man children should be warned of."

Archie stared at him. "So you're really going to go after it?"

"I need my revenge, Archibald." Spike's face grew grim and colorless. "If money is the way to power in this new world then so be it. The devil will come for them in the night." A small glint appeared in his eye that gave Archie shivers. "You know what they say... the devil is a gentleman."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you really need this, my love?" Jack asked Buffy over his shoulder as he eyed the dirty blanket he found while packing up her room.

Buffy looked over his tall shoulder to see what he meant and her eyes went wide, snatching Spike's blanket from his hand. "Yes!"

Jack eyed her carefully. "I've never seen you with a security blanket..."

Buffy played with the crumpled sheet in her hand. "It's not a security blanket, Jack... it's a memento..."

He saw her withdrawl into herself and wrapped his arms around her. "I know this is all moving fast, but it's better for Jacob if we settle him down. That way he'll have a father figure and a mother. With a nice home and a nice yard, we can even get a puppy--"

She smiled at the painted picture. "Golden retriever?"

He laughed. "Whatever you like, baby."

She sunk into his embrace and tried to forget... "Yes, I think he'd like that."

He pulled from her and smiled. "Want me to order a pizza? That way you can get ready to meet my parents."

She groaned. She was really not looking forward to meeting the Senator and his wife. She had a distinct feeling they though she was a harlot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"She's a tramp!" Jacqueline Marshall hissed to her husband as he played with his tie.

"Jacqueline you have no clue what the girl is like, Jack seems to really like her," the Senator reasoned with his polished wife, frowning at his tie-tying skills.

Jacqueline grabbed her husband's shoulder and took his tie in her skilled hands. "Having a child with another man whom she didn't know and living parentless in that large home. Having witches for friends and this whole secret business of being a Slayer--I don't like it, I tell you George that girl is trouble!"

George wheezed when she tied the necktie too tight. "Jacqueline, please. Our son hates us as it is, let's just be pleasant."

"Why couldn't he marry Marlene Dietrich, she's from a good family and she studied law?"

George cringed at the mention of the girl. She was indeed an ugly creature. "He needs to look at her, Jacqueline."

She huffed. "Have you ever thought about what this could do to your career--to his career?"

The Senator shrugged. "My term is almost up. I look forward to letting him be the politician of the family."

"A California representative with a wife whose child is from another man?!"

George quieted her. "Will you speak more quietly, darling. I would prefer not reading about our private lives in the Gazette tomorrow when I have my morning coffee."

"You must speak with him, George he'll ruin us all with his adventures and brain-dead ideas. At twenty eight we were already settled and happy."

_Happy_, he snorted in his head. "Yes, yes I remember."

"I don't like it and I will say I am against it from the start," she huffed and walked out of the large bathroom leaving her husband behind to smile back at his reflection in the mirror.

"Sacrifices must be made for the good of the nation."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The town was buzzing like never before.

It had started. The one and only event throughout the year that satisfied the bloodlust for the rest of the 360 days of the year. There was ale and red meat, tons of warm blood, music, games, jokers and laughter.

Spike and Archie made their way through the drunken crowds that smelled fermented like everything else on this island.

He hated the smell of it, and the ache in his heart that he was trying to suppress was becoming stronger as he wondered once more what vanilla smelled like.

Archie pointed to a makeshift stage under the harmless sun. "There's where the contestants are presented. Most of them are boo'ed," he said as if in warning.

Spike's face remained indifferent. "I don't care what these people think of me--I want my map and I'm going to get. Plus, a vampire needs a decent spot of violence."

Archie chuckled.

The way Spike had been training in the past few weeks made him feel almost sorry for the creature whom he'd have to face.

It was not so much the training--it was the bottled anger and frustration.

No one would hear the safe word when he was done with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They hated her.

She knew it.

But the way Jack acted made her not care. She was soon going to be a Marshall whether they liked it or not.

With that thought she plastered on the smile as she let the social worker into her almost bare house. Soon they would all move in to their new house.

"Miss Summers," the woman nodded.

"Welcome to my home, Mrs. Kroger," Buffy smiled sweetly at Doris.

"I see you finally had the baby..."

Buffy groaned--she knew where this conversation was going. The woman had raised three eyebrows when she found out she was pregnant.

William chose that moment to start blowing drool bubbles from his play-yard.

"Yes..." she walked over to her baby and picked him up, smiling as he recognized his mommy. "This is William."

Doris smiled. "Seems like you're knowing full well what single parenthood is all about."

"Well I'm getting married next month," Buffy said triumphant.

Doris gaped at her. "Married?"

Buffy gave William a toy that made his blue eyes go huge as he tried to grab it and eat it.

"Yes," she hefted the small bundle up higher. "Jack Marshall... that's why we're moving. He just closed the deal on a new house."

"Marshall?" Doris asked pensively.

"Senator George Marshall's son," Buffy smiled at William. "You like Jack don't you, baby?" William almost glared at her and stuffed the red toy in his mouth.

"Oh..." Doris looked lost and confused. "Is Dawn moving with you both?"

"Of course, she's my sister...she'll have everything she needs."

William decided he was bored with the toy and let it drop to the floor and started crying. "Is there anything else I can help you with? It's his feeding time."

Doris looked around for a moment. "Right... I suppose I'll be on my way then. I'll make sure I tell my supervisor of the news... thank you again Miss Summers."

Buffy saw the social worker to the door and smiled at William who had decided to start munching her short hair. "I guess this is the road for easy life for us, ain't it Will?"

William pulled her hair from his mouth and stared at it before putting it back in his mouth, his eyes crossing.

She laughed and pulled the strands from him. "No eating of mommy's hair."

She placed William down in the play-yard and turned on his music box so she could prepare the bottle. She hated the breast feeding.

The phone chose that moment to ring and she deftly placed it on her ear while opening the refrigerator. "Hello?"

"Buffy?"

She smiled in recognition. "Hey Giles."

Her relationship with her once watcher was as weird as ever. He has been disappointed with her pregnancy but supportive all the while.

The way she took Spike's news had troubled him but he had not commented. And she knew he was coming in a month to meet William. A name which he almost snorted at along with most of her friends but she didn't care.

"How are you, Buffy?" he asked and she could almost see the smile on his face.

"Doing good... William's feeding time."

"Oh!" he got a mental image and started stuttering.

Buffy caught on. "Bottle feeding!...with a bottle."

"Oh--right..." she could see him cleaning his glasses. "I just... I know I spoke with you yesterday... but I need you to sit down... there's something very important you must know."

Buffy put down the bottle and sat on the kitchen stool.

"What is it Giles?"

She could hear him taking a deep breath.

"Buffy... I spoke with the council yesterday and we've been having meetings about you and the whole child issue and well--"

"Giles! The child is hungry--get to the point!" she growled.

"Right, of course... Buffy--the council has decided to relieve you of your duties."

She sat there for a second not really processing what he said.

"W--what?"

"You're no longer a Slayer, Buffy. The lineage has passed to Faith."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC.......

(I will write as fast and as often as I can--I promise)


	8. The Cage

**The Cage** -- part 7 of T_he Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to AlexandreDumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The lyrics to this part belong to Garbage, _The World is not Enough._

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: This chapter is mostly Spike, exploration of his anger, frustration and humanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."

Ambrose Redmoon

He stared at his opponent, emitting a growl from the depths of his chest. The thin demon cracked his neck and grinned.

He said nothing, there was no more dance left in him.

The bell rang, he jumped on the balls of his feet.

One swing.

The demon ducked, but he knew he was going to duck so his knee was waiting for his face.

The demon groaned in pain as blood ran down his face from a broken nose.

The crowds cheered.

The creature was already vulnerable so it gave him his momentum.

Two punches, three, four, five, six, seven... they all started blending together as the demon just stared at him with glassy eyes--clearly not expecting the rage behind the punches of the vampire.

Fifteen punches, then he grabbed him and threw him across the cage with such force that the bamboo sticks cracked and stabbed the fading demon.

Picking him up again he roared in his face, vamping out and gripping his head with both hands he snapped it's neck so quick the crowds gasped.

Blank clouded eyes started back into the nothingness.

Soft body sliding to the floor at his feet.

He cracked his jaw and backed away from it to look at the crowds.

They cheered with a fury at the bloody display.

_Spike!! Spike!! Spike!!_

This was his second win and he was gaining crowd favor but he could care less. This only meant 3 fights from the map--and that was all.

Archie met him at the doorway as it opened for the winner.

Pats on the back and laughter.

"A bit more brutal next time, perhaps?" Archie asked him.

Spike took his shirt and pulled it over his head. "He entered the tournament--he died. He was killed of his own volition."

Archie raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Well put."

_I know how to hurt   
I know how to heal_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I know what to show   
And what to conceal   
I know when to talk   
And I know when to touch   
No one ever died from wanting too much_

"Where's my big boy?" she cooed at him.

William lay on his back completely naked as she powdered him, after changing some god-awful diaper.

William's leg kicked and his little arms swung about, a smile cracking his face.

"Is that him? Is that my baby?" she blew soft raspberry kisses on his belly and he laughed even more.

Mommy was so silly... not as silly as uncle Xander but silly.

She grabbed his little foot and play bit it, making him laugh again. "Yummy, William tastes so good, don't you, baby?"

He smiled back at her.

He liked when she gave him all of her attention, he didn't like, however when that other man was there. She ignored him when he was there and he was left to play with his inanimate toys.

"Now, we're going to get you all nicely dressed for the rehearsal dinner." she pulled out two outfits and showed them to him. One was pale blue with little stars. He hated it. The other was a pant and polo black shirt set. Much better. "Which do you think? Baby blue like your eyes or this one?"

He really wanted to signal for the pants and shirt instead of the nasty blue jumpsuit.

His mommy jumped in excitement. "Baby blue jumpsuit it is!"

Great, he got the poofy outfit. If he could only talk.

"Soon you'll have a new daddy..."

Where was his old daddy? He knew what he smelled like but he didn't know what he looked like.

"And Jack adores you..."

That was that dork he didn't like.

"He's not Spike... but he loves us, William... you like him don't you?"

He started crying.

She promptly picked him up and held him against her soft chest.

Food. Was all he could think as he searched out her bosom.

"You're hungry? Again?" she sighed and sat down on their rocking chair.

He was quite pleased when the nourishing nipple was found by his lips and he closed his eyes contented.

She smelled like his dad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The world is not enough   
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love   
And if you're strong enough   
Together we can take the world apart, my love_

FINAL Day of the Cage

Fist met horns and he growled, it hurt, burned but he didn't care that his hand was destroyed. He loved the pain. Fell in love with the pain, lived by the pain.

He growled and grabbed his opponent's head and bashed it with his own.

His fangs were out, and his ridges showing--he didn't care.

He just wanted to loose control, to drown in his recklessness--he could hear the crowds faintly chanting in the background and that only made his demon roar.

The 'indestructible' Groker had small little horns on his head and they stabbed him--more than a hundred at a time like the pain sizzling inside of him and he loved it even more.

He banged his head again, scraping skin and bone.

The pain, intense and beautiful.

Sweet distracting pain, filled him--this empty vessel that was him.

It coursed through him and he kicked him and threw him again at the bamboo fence, grabbing his neck and squeezing, making his opponent's head pop like a red balloon.

A red balloon of guts, fist and fangs, horns and scales.

It was a black night--like those that humans are scared of. He was the demon out there.

Banging the demon's head over and over and over and over against the bamboo--the cage had been restored twice since William the Bloody stepped inside of it.

This seemed like the third as the head went through it and left a demon hanging limp, a bamboo stick running right through his throat.

Spike stared at his mess, breathing rhythmically in and out.

His chest was a mess, he had broken his left hand and he was sure he had a concussion.

He cracked his neck and smiled. Fangs dripping blood.

The crowds cheered.

He turned to look at them and lifted his arms--Rocky style.

They cheered even more.

He looked around proudly.

So this was power.

The door to the cage opened and he walked out, women wanting to throw themselves at him, he passed by without a second glance.

Instead of finding Archie he pulled himself up on top of the cage and started climbing it.

The crowds went crazy.

He walked to the top and on shaky feet he looked down at what seemed like a sea of people.

The cage was three stories high--the highest man-made structure on the island.

Up three stories high--up in the air, on top of his world he stood.

Here, he was the king of the world.

Here he didn't need her or her memories....

He raised his arms again and smiled smugly as the crowds cheered.

"I AM SPIKE!" he screamed.

Screams and roars were heard along with chanting over and over.

_Spike, Spike, Spike, Spike, Spike, Spike_

_People like us Know how to survive   
There's no point in living If you can't feel alive   
We know when to kiss   
And we know when to kill   
If we can't have it all Then nobody will_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now, look at me..." Willow straightened her up.

Buffy took a deep breath as Willow fixed her eye makeup. "I can't believe this is happening."

Willow smiled at her as she finished applying her fourth coat of mascara. "This is what you've always wanted, a normal guy and a normal life... no slayage."

Buffy bit her lip out of anxiety.

"No vampires, no demons, no hellgods..."

No vampires, she thought. Angel and Spike were for another life--another girl. This was the new her. But how could she deny it when every time she looked at her son she saw Spike?

"Right... none of that..."

Willow studied her. "You okay, Buffy?...You don't have to do this, you know, monetary problems always work themselves out."

Buffy laughed. "Don't be silly, Willow. He loves me--"

"Do you love him?" she asked the bride-to-be.

Buffy looked away and to the other side of the room where her baby was being cooed by both Tara and Dawn. He was having a delightful time, in an outfit Spike would've hated.

"He deserves a dad..." she looked at her friend. "I deserve someone normal...someone who can love me..."

"Is Spike William's father?" Willow asked bluntly.

All the color left Buffy's face and she gaped at her friend.

Willow got her answer as tears filled Buffy's eyes. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Suddenly her nails were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Buffy--"

"Willow, just leave it, ok? He's gone...he's de-dead... our child deserves a stable home and that's what I'm going to give him." she said sadly. "Besides.... I am no longer the Slayer... vampires don't exist in my world..."

"Did you love him?" Willow asked, holding both of Buffy's shaking hands.

She took a deep breath. "Still do..."

"Then why are you marrying Jack?" Willow asked almost desperately.

Buffy shook her head and composed herself. "Because, Willow... I'm moving on, Will...he's been gone for almost a year...he's not coming back."

She married Jack that night and had her normal family.

_The world is not enough   
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love   
And if you're strong enough   
Together we can take the world apart, my love_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had become the island celebrity.

Everywhere he went he was loved and admired. Men respected him, demons didn't mess with him, vampires thought him their god.

And he was enjoying it much more than he led on, after he was almost bed-ridden for a month he was back on his feet and truly enjoying the free beer, the free shows from the can-can girls.

The life before seemed so far away... so far away.

He was even beginning to ignore Archie and just spent his nights in town, drinking and laughing and simply forgetting.

Life was well. Until four months after the tournament when he walked to his hut, swaying from side to side, stumbling over rocks and rascals on the floor, he hardly made it to his bed when he started dreaming...dreaming of a place so far away that it hurt him.

_It hurt him...._

_There-- under the light of the moon, he felt a warm body against his. Smiling against his neck and him chuckling because of some silly valley-girl joke of hers._

_"They're going to flip," she smiled._

_"I can't wait to see the whelp's face," he laughed. She swatted him playfully._

_"You're terrible," she joked._

_He pulled her closer, his duster covered them in the expanse of the night. "Yeah, but you love me because of it."_

_She shuddered and placed her hands on either side of his face, making him look at her as she hovered over him. "And don't you forget it...promise me you won't forget it."_

_There were tears in her eyes, tears of the future uncertain. What night was she not going to come home from patrol? What night would she leave him alone?_

_"I promise."_

I promise--those words haunted him as he woke up. There were tear tracks on his face.

That night... that single night.

He howled as he came to consciousness. Sobbing again--he hadn't cried in a long time.

Just tears of pain and frustration.

_I...I feel safe   
I...I feel scared   
I...I feel ready   
And yet unprepared_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 4:15AM when Spike yanked Archie's door open.

The elder vampire jumped from bed and looked around startled.

"William?"

Candles were lit in his hut and he could see the younger vampire as he sat down across from his bed.

"What the hell happened to you, William? You look like hell." the older one commented as he placed his glasses on his face.

Spike sat back and lit a cigarette.

"I had an epiphany," he said.

Archie grabbed his shirt and shoved it over his head. "So you didn't forget the common folk then?" It has been over two months since Spike had come to see Archie.

Spike had the decency to look guilty. "Sorry, mate... I just..."

"I know, and I knew it was coming. I'm smart like that." Archie smiled and Spike chuckled. "So we're back on track then? Boat? Treasure? Escape?"

Spike nodded. "We'll start at dawn..." that name tasted weird in his mouth. "If not for her... then for nibblet--I promised once that I would take care of her and I will not leave 'er now."

"Then we continue."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How does one stop being the Slayer?

The council has passed on the responsibility to Faith as she was taken out of the California State Penitentiary.

The Powers That Be took her strength away--Oracles had foretold about this.

So at the age of 22, Buffy Summers was relieved of her duty.

Here she stood before a stove.

After saving the world countless times she had no idea how to be a house wife.

The chicken was staring at her like it would bite. She looked over at her son who was peering at her with clear blue eyes as he chewed on a rubber duck. He was happily hanging on a baby swing with nothing on but diapers.

"Mommy's stuck," she announced.

He smiled at her. His mommy could never do anything wrong.

She laughed. "This is serious, William. You don't have to worry 'cause your dinner still comes from my tit...but not Jack's...or mine."

He kicked his little chubby feet and threw the rubber duck at her. It hit her leg and she picked it up, walking to him.

He was delighted to get him mom's full attention and laughed, holding out his little arms for her to pick him up.

She gave in and hefted him up. Making a face and checking the back of his diaper. "You need a change."

He offered her a dripping finger for chewing. "No thanks," she smiled and kissed his neck. He giggled. "C'mon--"

The phone interrupted her and she grabbed it while giving William a toy for entertainment. His little lips made a perfect 'o' in amazement. He liked this blue chewable square.

"Hello," she asked.

"Buffy?"

"Hey Jack," she smiled at William going cross-eyed as he stuffed the square in his mouth.

"Honey, listen... I won't make it home for dinner...we had an emergency dinner meeting."

She sighed.

"Jack you haven't been home for dinner in over a week," she frowned and William smiled.

"I know, baby, but things always come up when you work with the mayor..."

"Fine, whatever...." she rolled her eyes.

"I'll make it up next week, Buffy--I promise, I have to go." he said quickly. "Kiss Jacob for me."

"It's Will--" he hung up. "iam." she said to herself.

Hanging up the phone she looked at her baby. "I guess it's just you, me and Dawn tonight again, baby."

William grinned at her. "If I didn't know better I'd think that you didn't like Jack."

She didn't see the twinkle in his eyes.

_The world is not enough   
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love   
And if you're strong enough   
Together we can take the world apart, my love_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So it's possible, then?" Spike asked.

Archie nodded as he hunched over a map with a magnifying glass in his hand over the map of the Black Lake.

"Certain precautions must be taken and protections spells are essential but you can definitely do it."

Spike paced back and forth. They had been working non-stop for five months. "I have a good feeling about this, old man--a very good feeling."

Archie sat back and grinned at him. "Never thought I'd go treasure hunting before."

Spike chuckled and swat his back. "Let's take the boat out for a test, shall we?"

Archie nodded and watched his eager companion walk out of the tent.

_June 9th, 2003_

_He is changing. The final stages of the evolutionary process will come to play. I can tell by the way that he straightens automatically when he addresses me, I can tell by the way he chooses his books to read. When at first he wanted short works like Animal Farm (which simply got him upset) now he's choosing Plato, Aristotle and the classics. The human mind is very much like the demon mind, I think. They both develop at the same rate._

_When a human first grows an adult conscious, in their teens they are reckless. Wild and untamed--thinking they own the world with their ideals and philosophies. The same is with a freshly turned vampire. They want to wreck havoc--make the streets bleed. They disrespect their elders and only by change do few live past the vampiric age of 25._

_As the human grows into adulthood many things open their eyes. Money, fame, prestige, love--things to pursue. Same with vampires in the ages of 25-40. Taking over the world, towns, city, establishment. It's all about getting to the top._

_Once the human and the vampire get to the top they realize either one of two things. That this is not what they want and they become loners or they relish the powers for some time to come._

_The latter is what happened to William. He lived for over 100 yrs in power, having the one creature he loved by his side, a stable nasty environment that he simply loved. It is my theory that he would've stayed in that perpetual high of he had not run across the Slayer. She brought out what all vampires repress throughout their eternity. She brought out his humanity. It has come to my conclusion that all vampires have humanity in them--only a few get to explore it. They let the demon take complete control over them until there is nothing left of the human but long lost memories. It is the feelings, emotions and conflicted thoughts that Buffy Summers brought out in William._

_Realizing that he loved her--loved that one creature who had done this to him, though he wanted to hate her William is too much of a poet and he transcended all of his feelings to love. Having her return his affections made him complete. The vampire had reached his karma --the heightened point of his life. The perfection._

_All of the sudden that tranquility is taken away. It is then that the conflict of the human and the demon really come to play. Having no soul William can't just grieve and move on with his life--something that a normal human could do. She was everything to him, she was his soul and now that that part is dead there is an unfamiliar emptiness within him that caused the anger phase, the hopelessness and now the revenge._

_Revenge will be his soul now. There is no other way that he can live. The demon has been completely subsided when he became complete and now all he is running with is memories trapped in a cage. A hollow cage that holds everything he is._

_Will he ever find peace? I cannot theorize further and probably never will know, since I will not leave with William. I can only hope that one day he can find peace, my fear is knowing that when that happens it will mean his death. The only peace that is found is if he gives up._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The world is not enough   
The world is not enough   
No, nowhere near enough   
The world is not enough_

"Send in Mr. Marshall," the general told the soldier.

"Yes, general."

The young officer disappeared behind the door and came back in swiftly with Jack.

"General Polis, sir." Jack saluted.

"No need soldier... now a civilian," the general smiled and walked around his desk to shake the younger man's hand.

"Thank you, sir." Jack answered automatically.

"Congratulations on the wedding," the general offered Jack a cigar and lit one for himself.

Jack lighted his own and smiled in appreciation for the quality of it.

"Thank you, general... she's quite a handful," Jack said, taking a seat across the General.

"Your country is very proud of you, son--we know this is a great sacrifice." the General smiled. "But we can guarantee a nice 2008 election year for you."

Jack smiled. "Anything for that, sir--anything for that." They both laughed. "Plus--she's a pretty little thing."

The General agreed. "That she is, son--you hang in there it'll be over before you know it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(bring on the Jack hatred...)


	9. Drowning or Waiving

**Drowning or Waiving** -- part 8 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The title for this part comes as inspiration from Stevie Smith's poem _Not Waiving but Drowning_. Lyrics by Dido, _Here with me._

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Spike centered Chapter--I know you guys want me to send Jack to the guillotine but hold on *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two vampires worked quietly as they set the boat for it's first test on the sea.

"And how exactly do you expect to get through the barrier shield?" Spike asked him as he threw some rope on the deck.

"Well..." Archie began as he stepped on the boat. "First of all I've been studying the sequence of the shield. There are specific times when it's completely off. One is--" he helped Spike jump on the boat.

"One is--" Spike prodded him as he went down to the lower deck.

"One would be whenever we get new a new inmate--they bring it down so the 'copters can get in," Archie explained as they laid out the maps.

"And the second?" Spike asked.

"The second is when there's a large storm, especially in winter, if the cables get hit by lightening the whole island can explode and even with all the black magic that they use it wouldn't prevent it. The news about the island will travel faster than they can manage." Archie explained with a smirk on his face--one that he had adopted from Spike.

"The first option is out of the question," Spike told him.

Archie nodded. "They circle the island three times to make sure no one tries to leave."

"So we have to wait for a winter storm?" Spike asked. "But winter just passed, mate." Frustration was becoming a force of habit.

"Exactly--we have to wait until the time is right, the plan must be executed perfectly...plus--traveling in a winter storm is no joke. You're better off on the island."

Spike started pacing. "Full winter doesn't hit until January... that's months away..."

"Patience, my young friend--patience is what you shall learn from here on in. We all need it and it's going to be your most vital tool once you find your way home," Archie said as he lit his pipe.

Raking his hands through his longish hair he sighed and nodded. "Right--patience...need all the bloody patience I can get."

Archie grinned at him. "When you hit the sea--if you're not little dust particles, you must head East towards the southern border."

Spike nodded and looked over the maps. In the past months he had learned to clearly read sea maps and knew the difference between a league and a mile.

They traced the course for a bit, making sure everything was perfect.

"Shall we pop her cherry then?" Spike asked, almost jumping on the balls of his feet.

Archie laughed and followed him up the stairs. "What's her name?"

Spike pulled out the make-shift flag. Blood red with black letters that read 'Slayer'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear William, happy birthday to you!"

The Scoobies sang together and William grinned at them a half-destroyed cake in front of him--half of it on his face.

They clapped and cheered, cameras flashed too fast for him and he blinked and began to cry.

"Oh, birthday boy is camera shy," Xander said as Buffy picked up her one-year old crying son.

Dawn handed her a wet towel. William squirmed and cried some more as Buffy tried to clean his face and little hands. "He's just had a long day."

William whimpered and laid his head on his mommy's shoulder, curly blond hair tickled his forehead and his aunt Dawn tenderly tucked it behind his ear and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

He felt better.

"Let me put him to bed and us adults will party down here," Buffy suggested.

Willow smiled sympathetically. "Yeah--maybe Jack will be back then."

Buffy kissed her son's head and nodded. "Yeah, maybe he will."

She took him upstairs to his bathroom. "Tired, baby?"

She sat him down on the toilet and began taking off his shoes.

He shook his head yet yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Right." She smirked and got him undressed, running a warm bath for him.

He almost fell asleep in the tub and she carried him to his room where his warm large crib lay.

As he was having his final bottle she studied him and almost fainted when she saw that one of his eyebrows was not growing hair in the middle.

Almost like he had a scar. She pulled the bottle away and sat him up. He whimpered and looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Did you play with mommy's scissors?" she asked him, roughly and almost desperate.

His eyes filled with tears at her harsh tone and he began to cry. He hated when she got upset with him.

Buffy realized that he wasn't 10 and quickly pulled him to her chest, rocking him back and forth. "I'm sorry, William--that was mean of mommy..." His little hands grabbed her arms not willing to let go. "I'm sorry daddy wasn't home... for your party..."

Rocking him back and forth he feel asleep still whimpering. She carefully laid him down and wrapped him up tightly in Spike's blanket.

As he lay sleeping she saw how much he did look like Spike. His cheekbones were growing more pronounced and he was naturally thin but well defined. His hair was dirty blond and had soft curls to it. His skin was pale and beautiful, his lips full and his eyes tiny and blue, when he looked at you with interest they got tinier and darker--just like Spike's had. And now he was naturally growing a scar. Great!

A single tear fell from her eyes and wet his lips.

_I didn't hear you leave   
I wonder how am I still here   
And I don't want to move a thing   
It might change my memory_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike and Archie walked back from the cave to his hut with satisfaction, the yacht sailed beautifully, smooth sailing as they would say.

"We just need to wait for the perfect moment," Archie reminded the way too happy Spike.

"Waiting for what?"

Both vampires turned abruptly to find a Varro languidly lounging next to a palm tree and smoking a cigarette, eyeing them with a smirk.

"What can we do for you, mate?" Spike asked, a bit defensive.

Archie placed his hand on Spike's chest a signal to calm down. "Varro is a friend, William...."

Varro laughed and pulled himself up, stalking up to them. "I know your secrets, vampire, you screamed them like a lost child that night..." He let the words hang in the air, almost suggestively. "Remember that night?"

Spike growled.

Archie stood in front of Spike, covering the shorter vampire. "What will you get from that? We have nothing of value... you do not value what we do."

Varro chuckled. "Oh, I think you do--I think you have the most valuable thing on this island," he tossed his cigarette at Spike's feet. "Don't you...mate?"

Spike cocked his head to the side to study the man. "How long you've been spyin'?"

Varro did a mock-pensive look. "I don't spy...more like...run into things--"

Spike growled and launched at him, grabbing him by his neck and pinning him on the palm tree. "You will NOT mess this up for me, you slimy gop, I've been waiting on this for too long."

Varro smiled despite the lack of air and almost choked on himself. "Like...to...see...you...try...."

Spike squeezed harder but stopped when Archie stood next to him. "Lesson the second, William," Archie reminded him.

Spike scowled at him. "How can we be spouting lessons when this soddin' poofter is tryin' to wreck my plan?"

Archie studied the man who was struggling uselessly against the vampire's grasp. "You're right...kill him."

Varro's eyes went wide at his response. "Ok, ok, I'll tell! I know about the boat--"

"Who else knows?" Spike asked him.

"I know " the man cried, terrified.

"Perhaps we should turn him," Archie suggested.

Varro cried out. "No, please! No one else knows, I swear it."

Spike got in his face and studied him, smelling him to make sure he was for real. "I don't trust you, mate. I think you'd make a sorry vamp."

"My mother--" Spike's grip tightened. Varro continued. "My mother was killed by a vamp..."

Spike let him go and he fell, butt first on the floor.

"You tell anyone about the boat and I'll come for you...when you least expect it... and when I get out, I'll find your family too." Spike glared at him and stalked back to the hut.

Archie studied the man who tried uselessly to get his dignity back by angrily wiping his tears. "Why didn't he kill me?" he asked the vampire.

Archie stood in front of him and caught his eyes. "Is that what you want? Death?"

Varro looked around, the island suddenly felt smaller.

"Cowards die many times before their death...the valiant never taste death but once." Archie quoted.

Varro laughed. "You and your books, old man."

"I haven't been a man in a long time... I would've killed you." Archie said, squatting in front of him.

The man arched his eyebrow at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Those who want death, find death. Your greatest fear is living it night by night... like one of us."

Varro's jaw tightened. "Not all men are good."

"It's true."

"Not all vampires are bad..."

"Oh they are," Archie disagreed. "We're just... unconventional." Varro stood and Archie with him. "Go now... and speak of this to no one."

Varro turned quickly and started walking back to town. Then stopped and quickly turned to see Archie in his game face. "I thought you said you would've killed me?"

Archie gave him a toothy grin and started walking towards him, like a predator. Hungry, lethal and deadly. He saw the hunger in his eyes but his legs didn't move--locked at the knee to just stare at those golden eyes.

Varro was about to pee on his pants, he wanted to scream and beg for mercy but nothing came past his throat--this was his moment, his moment that he had been looking for the past seven years that he'd been on the island. Yet at this moment he didn't want it... but it was too late. He was dinner.

Archie got to his face, until the mortal's breath tickled his long white beard. He leaned in and ... "Boo!"

The man screamed and ran the other way, leaving Archie grinning after him.

"What was that all 'bout?" Spike asked his elder surprised.

Archie chuckled and walked back to his cabin. "He'll be enjoying life from now on."

Spike eyed him with a smirk. "While shittin' his pants any time you come near?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_(2 yrs later...yes, you heard right, it's been TWO years)_

"William!" Archie cried as he shook the sleeping vampire.

The sleepy, bearded Spike woke up and looked around confused, his long blond hair falling in his face. "What the bloody--"

"It's time!"

Spike stood up and almost went out the door nude. He ran back and grabbed his raggedy pants and their supplies which always stood by the door.

"C'mon--the storm's coming up the west side!"

Archie grabbed a large bag and Spike the other and together they ran in the pre-dawn hours of the morning to the shore... and to his escape.

The wind was making the palm trees sway from side to side, rain coming but not starting yet. Loose objects flew through the air, making them duck just in case a stake decided to take up flying as it's hobby.

The made it to the other side of the shore in almost half and hour, by the time they had gotten there they were struggling against the cold winds of winter. The small yacht waited for them, swaying in the waves of the shore. Both vampires quickly put their bags inside.

They had gotten every one of their supplies, including the gas, from two years worth of collecting things that the supplies brought every day. Three months ago they had collected enough petroleum to sail the seas.

Archie hopped off the boat and helped with untying it from the rock they had kept it safe at. Spike looked back at the man who had been his companion and suddenly was at loss for words.

"Archie..." he began.

Archie shook his head and waved his hand. "Say no more, William--you've learned from me all that I have to teach. Never look back... safe journey."

Spike leaned forward. "I'll come back and get you out, Archie, I promise."

Archie smiled and nodded, letting the rope go, making Spike sway into the sea. The younger vampire's eyes went wide as he saw his departure come too quick. The rain started then, getting in his eyes and making Archie blurry and smaller looking as he drifted into the sea.

He took three deep breaths to stop himself from jumping off the boat and into the safety of his mentor's shadow.

But he didn't, he turned around with a determined look on his face. Taking a captain's position he looked out to the swaying sea, the shield should already be down and he was on his way to vengeance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Oh I am what I am   
I'll do what I want   
But I can't hide I won't go   
I won't sleep I can't breathe_

Buffy sat up in bed and gasped.

She had a dream.

A terrible dream.

She dreamt that Spike was alive and out in the sea... alone, lost and dying.

She looked next to her and her husband was gone... What's new, she thought indifferently.

"Mommy?"

Her head snapped up to look at her small three year old son with his Captain Morgan's pajama's, his blond hair in his eyes as he rubbed them.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she asked, frowning at his frightened eyes.

"I had a bad dream." William whimpered, on the verge of tears.

"Want to sleep with mom?" she asked with a smile. He nodded and quickly climbed into bed with her.

"What was the dream about?" she asked.

"A storm... in the sea..." he yawned. "And a man on a boat and he was angry."

Buffy didn't say anything but held her baby close to her as her heart ran about a mile a minute.

Both dreaming about Spike? Could it have been Spike?

Her hope fluttered. There had been times in the past three years when she could've sworn she felt him... felt him somehow... but she knew it was just the ramblings of a desperate girl.

"Where's daddy?" William asked, eyes already closed but knowing his dad wasn't home.

Buffy heart constricted. She didn't know were Jack was... and she knew he wasn't home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Until you're resting here with me   
I won't leave I can't hide   
I cannot be   
Until you're resting here with me_

She bent down to pick up the early Saturday paper and that's when her husband's car pulled up the long driveway.

She tried not to scowl or think anything she wasn't supposed to.

"Morning, Buffy," he said, smiling as if nothing had happened. "I left early this morning to play golf with the guys... I didn't want to wake you."

She nodded. "I woke up around 3 this morning... you weren't there."

Jack walked up to her and laughed a bit. "I was downstairs.. I couldn't sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me? I would've stayed up with you?"

Jack shrugged and walked past her to the house. "I didn't want to disturb you."

Buffy bit her lip and closed the door behind her. "You wouldn't have disturbed me, Jack...this is the third time this week I've woken up to find you gone."

He turned to look at her and ran his hands through his black hair. "Can we just talk about this some other time?"

"That's what you always say!" she cried, tired of the same discussion. "I told you once I wasn't going to play housewife."

Jack ignored her and walked to the kitchen.

She glared at his retreating back and followed him. "Are you sure you killed him?"

He was at the open refrigerator, checking out the orange juice yet he went still at her question. "Killed who, Buffy?"

Buffy crossed her arms, with her jaw set. "You know who I'm talking about."

He turned to look her in the eye and was almost being amused at her posture. "You're not the Slayer anymore, Buffy... there are no vampires in your life now." he walked to stand in front of her. "And you are my wife."

Buffy stood her ground, her ears ringing. "You didn't answer the question."

"I'm sure... he was dust, I saw it."

Buffy nodded. "Just because I'm your wife and I moved here with you and we're far away from my home, doesn't mean they're not real. I've known them..."

Jack grabbed her arms, roughly and she cried out, eyes wide--he had never hurt her. "There are NO vampires!"

"Mommy?"

Both turned to look at William who was standing by the kitchen entrance, with his blankie, and on the verge of tears.

Buffy pulled out of Jack's grasp and quickly picked up William, walking out of the kitchen.

Jack watched her retreat and sighed, walking quickly to grab his cell phone from his coat. He dialed '9'.

"Morning, sir." a young voice said.

"Kill the vampire."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His mommy was sad. He could tell and his dad didn't make it any better. She had taken him to his room and sang that song he liked... the one about letting him rest in peace and going through the motions. After that she sat with him and played with play-doo but he could still sense she was sad. Her smiles were not as pretty and she seemed smaller... mommy was supposed to be bigger.

After lunch he noticed that dad had left, mommy got happier for that and they decided to take a nap together. He snuggled closer to her as she reminded him that she loved him more than anything in this world and that nothing was going to come between them.

But he held her tighter when she cried softly thinking he didn't notice. For some reason he felt sad too.

_I don't want to call my friends   
They might wake me from this dream   
And I can't leave this bed   
Risk forgetting all that's been_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...

(You see, I got him off that island *eg*)


	10. Tales of Brave Ulysses

**Tales of Brave Ulysses **-- part 9 of _The Island of Galleno __(_Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The title for this part comes as inspiration from Cream's song _Tales of Brave Ulysses _(from BTVS episode 'Band Candy')

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Spike centered Chapter--I know you guys want me to send Jack to the guillotine but hold on *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever,   
But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun._

He was going to die, Spike though lightly as the waves crashed against his small boat. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon but the sky was completely gray, he maneuvered the yacht with as much skill as Archie had taught him.

But the waves were too strong, it reminded him of that movie The Storm, he couldn't see anything but a few feet in front of him.

The contents of the boat jingled inside as another harsh wave hit the side. He was drenched, his long blond hair getting in his eyes as he spit out sea water.

"I'm still here!" he cried out, this from the man or creature that had won the Cage tournament for 3 years in a row, who was featured by the distant island, mocked by the sea and loved by ghosts of the past. "I'm still here you mother fucker! You can take everything away from me but you can't take my passion!"

Another wave hit the boat and it almost capsized.

Two days he had been at sea. Two days with no sun, all rain and waves, he knew he was veering to the east and that was the way he aimed to go.

"Sod, you!" he screamed at the gods of the sea, wind and sky. "I'm still here!" He grinned evilly. "You hear it, baby," now there were tears running down his eyes along with rain pellets and inhuman sweat. "I'm still here! You bitch!"

Now he didn't know who he was addressing. Was it death, loss, Buffy, angels, god?

_There is no God_, he told himself.

"This is my price, eh?" he screamed to the howling wind. He heard the crack of the waves and knew he was close. Close to what? Death? He was already dead, in body and spirit.

But his boat was dying. Small and frail against the wrath of the omnipresent.

He jumped down and walked down to the front of the boat, slipping and swaying with the restless sea. He didn't care anymore. He grabbed his bag, just in case he made it. Taking a deep breath he jumped out into the sea just in time... five seconds later a giant wave fell on the boat and crushed it a thousand pieces.

_How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,   
For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white laced lips._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Archie sniffed out the air. Something was off.

The leaves were moving in a restless way, the air was thick and dark. He didn't like it, he didn't know what it was but he didn't like it. This wasn'tt normal, he'd never felt like this before, not in this island at least.

The storm had moved east a few hours ago and all was wet and soggy. But this wasn't a natural storm. Something was here... something foreign.

He went into his hut and closed his door tightly, closing the shutters on the windows. This was not normal--vampires didn't get shaken to the core like this.

He blew out all of his candles and sat in the darkness with his sword next to him. Smoking his pipe and simply waiting....

On the other side of the Island of Galleno, in Puerto de Tierra the wind blew unnaturally...in a way that would only blow at La Palchera.

The demons stirred, the vampires hissed, the humans hid.

Something was disturbing their way of life, life they had become accustomed to and didn't appreciate it being changed.

In the dark of the night the most unexpected thing happened.

The electricity was shut off--the island was a black pit of desolation.

No one breathed. Not a single breath.

Archie smirked in the darkness and took his pipe out of his mouth.

"Three hundred and sixty years in this earth... god speed, William."

The last words of the night before the bomb was dropped and the island was setup in flames.

The jet flew away from the scorching fire, the captain nodded to the soldier next to him.

The soldier picked up the transmitter. "Sir? The project has been terminated."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy flipped the channel non-caringly the same thing was on every channel.

"United Nations authorities are not releasing any comments about the explosion last night by the Straight of Gibraltar. The island was a site for government weapon testing and it was accidentally completely destroyed last night in an fluk experiment. No one was killed since the island was always completely evacuated nightly. The UN is said to have lost decades of weapons research and exploration. Regardless --the famed Island of Galleno is no longer there, a loss, some say to the historic community. This is Lisa Bentley reporting live from New York."

Buffy turned off the news. Who cared about some government island, she thought as she snuggled into her bed.

Her son next to her stirred and she held him close, kissing the top of his head.

Jack, of course was in some dinner meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body,   
Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind._

Spike didn't know when exactly he lost consciousness. All he knew that when he opened his eyes there were men all around him, looking down at him.

He groaned and tried to stand up. "Where am I?"

One of the ones dressed in black spoke. "You're in Damasca, Sheik Nabils' fishing boat...we found you a few hours ago, you were about to roast in the sun."

Spike blinked at them and he realized he was in the lower quarters of the boat.

"It's rare to find a vampire in these parts... they stay away from the sun." he said.

Spike sat up and instinctively looked for his bag. "My bag?" he asked desperately.

"It's here, friend--calm yourself." The others remained quiet.

"Thank you," Spike said in Arabic.

Some of them stirred. "And educated vampire?" the man in black asked him in his language.

"I've been taught well," Spike responded.

"The master will definitely want to meet you, friend." The man in black handed him his bag. "Here. Come, we have some blood."

Spike nodded in thanks. "Much obliged to you."

From that moment on Spike spoke only in Arabic to his companions as they set sail to the port-town of Safi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,   
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter._

It took them three days to reach port, the weather was terrible and made traveling hard. "Bad months," the sailors would comment.

Spike said nothing of himself, but he had seen that he was the only demon on board, the rest were men. Men that did not fear him and he wasn't planning on biting any of them, nor was he going to take the time out to analyze why exactly his hunger was diminishing. He had more important things on his mind.

The map in his bag had gotten soaked and ripped in half but he had looked at that map every day for the past two years, he knew it like the back of his hand.

Much like he knew books by memory, symphonies, and plays. Anything he had been able to get his hands on had been worth it, worth reading.

He often wondered if his brain would collapse out of so much reading, but it hadn't. He never stopped and thought about why this hunger for knowledge was breeding within him, maybe it was that when he was reading he was not thinking of Buffy or of Sunnydale or the bastards that had ruined his life.

He knew how to read, write, and speak in German, Spanish, Arab, Chinese, Italian and three different demon languages.

Latin and French he already knew when he was human and for some reason he had never forgotten. Archie had been astounded by his ability to learn quickly. The older vampire had concluded that the demon mind was three times as smart as the human one. It was much more perceptible to change and therefore it was much more dangerous.

Dangerous was right. At times Archie would tell him that he breathed fire. Fire and hate.

He lived in it.

Out on the sea his hate could disappear, though. As he stood looking out into the expanse of the Atlantic sea. He was far away from home... very far away.

"The sea is angry," Talsi, the sailor in black who knew English yet always spoke to Spike in Arabic.

"Why is that, you think?" Spike asked, though he was not really interested.

Talsi looked at him and grinned. "There is much pain in you, vampire. May Allah take your sorrows away."

Spike stubbed out his cigarette and smiled. "There is no god for me, mate."

Talsi chuckled. "Pain can be blinding. Soon we'll meet with Nabil... the most wisest of them all."

Spike watched him walk away. This was not exactly his plan but he really didn't have anything better to do... he might as well stick around. Stick around until he could gather enough men to go out with him to the desert.

Kabira Palace was located in what Spike presumed to be the outskirts of the Safi. They traveled for a good forty five minutes in fancy jeeps and trucks, that brought in the goods to the palace.

The desert was pleasant at this time of year... or as pleasant as one might expect--so the sailors said. But they were anxious to get back to the sea. Not Spike, he had seen the sea long enough. He like the feel of solid ground beneath his boots.

They arrived at the palace around 4:30PM, the sun was setting behind it so it covered Kabira in a soft orange glow, making the air taste saltier. Spike gasped at the sight before him. There, in the middle of the desert was the palace.

It was really a palace. Nearly three stories high, with many turrent windows, round and pointy to the sky.

Desert flowers grew from every balcony and women in silken clothes wondered about, carrying food, escorting children and cleaning. There were also guards by the gates.

They all had AK-47's and made sure noone got by that was not accounted for. They eyed Spike nastily but Talsi assured them that he was safe and a friend.

When the jeeps went up the driveway many women ran outside, their faces covered though their midriff was completely showing... whether it was perfectly shaped or chubby they showed it of and the men that jumped off the jeep delighted in them.

"Arabian women..." Talsi told him. "With their thick black hair and enchanting eyes are the most beautiful of them all."

Spike chuckled after him and they got off and went inside the palace.

Spike didn't see out of the corner of the top balcony a woman dressed in turquoise green, her face hidden, save her eyes. She smiled as she saw Spike enter the palace.

_Her name is Aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell,   
And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The main hall was decorated as if a party were being had.

"Nabil spares no expense for when his sailors come, he always gives us the best," Talsi told Spike. Spike's mouth watered at the array of foods served in the main dining hall. Everything from chicken, to boar to snakes, to crocodile to all types of seafood.

"What is he, some type of sheik?" Spike asked moving to the side as a servant who carried fresh bread almost toppled on him.

Talsi laughed. "Aside that he owns part of all the major petroleum companies in Saudi, he's also the main demon supplier for Arabic antiquities. You know, the stuff they would sell in Magic Shops."

Spike got a brief vision of demon girl and the whelp being excited when he brought rare and expensive things to sell at their shop but shook the image from his brain. "So he's a demon then?"

"No, friend--he's very human. But smarter than most--that's why he's survived so long. But he's also a Prince."

"Royalty," Spike murmured under his breath.

Laugher was heard down the hall as Spike and Talsi took seat on round large cushions made out of silk and feathers.

"He's coming," the Arab man whispered to Spike.

The vampire leaned back and watched as more women came floating out and in midst of them all a large man come out, clad in silk pants and an open shirt that showed off his large round belly and hairy chest. His gray beard came down to his nipples, his head was wrapped in a white turban and there were large gold earrings on his ears. He didn't lack gold rings or bracelets either and he entered the room laughing and smiling.

"Salám, my friends!" he laughed and greeted his sailors.

Spike watched with amusement as Nabil sat himself in a throne-like chair as women flocked all over him.

"Come," Talsi tugged on Spike's arm as he walked towards the front of the room. Spike followed suit as they walked to stand in front of Nabil.

Talsi got on both knees and bent down, letting his forehead touch the floor three times. He whispered things that Spike could not understand.

Nabil looked at Spike with interest. Spike was not bending his knee for anyone.

Talsi stood next to Spike and glared at him, almost expecting his head to be chopped off.

Spike stood, remembering all of the sudden all the things that Archie had taught him. Back straight, had bend behind him in a proper English court fashion, neck stretched and eyes looking at the Prince evenly. He courtly bowed--the way they did in England.

Nabil studied the vampire and there was a calm silence throughout the room. No one made a sound as the vampire stared directly at the Prince, waiting for his next move.

Nabil studied the brave vampire.

Then he laughed and moved his hand for Spike to come forward.

"What is your name, oh brave one?" Nabil asked as Spike shook his hand.

"I was born William Perling III, but after my turning I became Spike." Spike nodded.

Nabil looked pensive and then smiled. "William the Bloody!"

Spike chuckled. "Yes, your highness."

Nabil laughed. "Well Allah is be praised, bringing William the Bloody to my home!" He laughed again. "You shall dine with me tonight and you shall be welcomed in my house for as long as you desire. What is mine is yours, my friend."

Spike had to smile at his luck.

Nabil clapped his hands. "Dress Lord Perling in the finest silks!" he told his servants. Spike stared at the servants and then followed them down to the rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

William looked at his mother with pleading eyes.

"No," she repeated.

He was stubborn like Spike was and sometimes--most all the time--it almost slipped 'you're just like your father'.

"I wanna!" he insisted.

"William Jacob Marshall I will not have this discussion with you again!" She said.

Xander sat next to her and looked around uncomfortably. "Buffy give him a break." he whispered.

William heard him and smiled broadly at his mom.

Buffy turned to glare at her best friend. "Xander," she hissed.

The man ducked into the kitchen.

"You're wearing the suit daddy bought you--we are going to be late for the party." she said, and look his small arms, dragging him to sit him on his bed.

William cried out and arched his back on the bed and started howling and crying.

Buffy ignored his tantrum as the boy got nearly blue in the face and started dressing him.

He kicked and slapped and moved his head from side to side. "NO! NO! NO! Hate daddy!" he sobbed.

Buffy's heart broke but continued holding his legs down.

"I wanna wear black shirt!" he sobbed.

Buffy continued getting his little hands through the holes of his white shirt. He wriggled until she couldn't take it anymore and slapped her palm against his upper thigh.

William stopped crying and looked at her with wide blue eyes. Small trickles of tears started going down his little face, his bottom lip trembled and the three year old scooted back in the bed and drew his knees up to his chest.

Buffy felt an instant pang of guilt.

"Baby... I'm sorry... but you have to dress nice for daddy's important party," she pleaded, trying to reach him.

He buried his head in his little knees and started to cry.

"He's not daddy..." he sobbed over and over.

"William don't say that!" she cried and pulled him to her, despite his protests. She cradled his head to her chest and rocked him back and forth.

"Buffy?" Jack's head came through the door way. His eyes narrowed as he saw that William was still not dressed. "We're going to be late."

Buffy looked at her husband and sighed. "He's not feeling well, Jack... perhaps we should let him stay with Tara--she won't mind."

William's face lit up at staying with his aunt. "I want Tara!"

"No! He's going! The press is expecting to see my entire family!" he cried. William whimpered in his mother's loving embrace.

"Jack, please--"

"This is not for discussion! He has to learn to obey. Get dressed NOW, William!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike looked down on himself. He was dressed in black. From head to toe in Arab wraps. If he could only look at himself.

"Here, m'lord--" one of the servants told him and Spike looked at the large mirror they had before him. "It's a magic mirror--your reflection will be there."

Spike walked cautiously to the mirror and saw himself for the first time in over one hundred years. He was clean cut and shaven and though his hair was no longer peroxide blond it was it's natural dirty blond color. He looked sharp dressed in all black, but most importantly... he looked powerful. Like a Lord.

"Very nice." he murmured.

"Very nice indeed," a voice behind him said.

He quickly turned around to find a woman.

A woman dressed in turquoise wraps, with her perfect mid-drift showing. Wavy, thick black hair cascaded around her and although half of her face was hidden behind a conservative veil he was hypnotized by perfect almond shaped green eyes that held his own.

"Good evening," he managed to choke out.

She smiled, he could tell by the twinkle in her eye. "You must be Lord Perling." Her voice was soft and rich, almost hypnotic.

He swallowed. "Spike is good."

"Lord Spike?" she asked, a small chuckle.

"Spike--plain and simple." he insisted. "And you are?"

She smiled again and walked around him. "Fadma..."

"Fadma," Spike repeated.

"Princess Fadma," she added.

Spike smirked. "The _princess_ makes the difference."

"And so does the _Lord_."

"What is a princess doing here?" he asked as she stopped in front of him.

"My father... Prince Nabil... you met him." she said.

Spike gulped. "You're the head honcho's daughter?"

"One of them," she answered.

"One of them?" he arched his brow.

"I have eleven sisters and seven brothers... I'm the youngest of them all... of the women that is."

"Daddy's little girl," he smiled.

"Oh yes," she purred and extended her hand. "I am to be your escort my lord."

Spike eyed her carefully and tentatively took her hand. "I'd be honored."

_With tales of brave Ulysses, how his naked ears were tortured   
By the sirens sweetly singing.   
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,   
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(Don't start the Fadma trashing yet... give her some time *g*)


	11. The Slave, the Princess and the Wise

**The Slave, the Princess and the Wise** -- part 10 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The title for this part comes as inspiration from Cream's song _Tales of Brave Ulysses_ (from BTVS episode '_Band Candy_')

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Spike centered Chapter--I know you guys want me to send Jack to the guillotine but hold on *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy hugged the coat to her small body closer as she the wind hit her and chilled her to the bone. It was a cold front.

Middle of March and she was freezing.

But the outside wind could never compare to the coldness in her heart. She was almost numb with it.

The only reason she went on day to day was because of her son.

Her William.

He was safe now staying with Aunt Willow and Sunt Tara. Happy there. Not at all aware of what this day means.

The only one that knew was Jack and he had conveniently chosen to forget like he had every other year.

She looked back at her SUV.

It was parked close, she had stakes and holy water just in case. She might not have her strength but she remembered her training and she could defend herself in Sunnydale's cemeteries.

But the place was near. Very near.

She was almost there.

She stopped at the entrance and stood before the old door.

Reaching out with her gloved hand she placed it against the concrete and just let herself remember.

She had done this same action long ago... before the nerd trio had made her think she had killed Katrina.

She sighed.

Pushing the door open she let herself in, let herself feel the emptiness of the crypt and let his faint smell surround her.

She walked downstairs to the still intact bed.

She lay down and buried her nose in his covers. She smiled lazily when the faint smell of him hit her.

Opening her small paper bag she took out the contents and spread them on the bed sheets.

Before her lay a small cup cake, a lighter and four candles. The small blonde stuck the four candles in the cup cake and lit them up.

She smiled a watery smile at it and looked around.

"Ok--don't laugh," she said to the empty room. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Spike..." she choked up. "Happy birthday to you."

Softly she blew out the candles.

"You've been gone for four years..." hollow echo answered her. "I miss you..." she smiled. "William--you would be crazy about him... at times I think he knows, he's so smart and he loves to write and read and he's only 3..."

The silence acknowledged her.

"Sometimes I see you in my dreams... and you're ok and you're almost going to get back home. You'll come back and then you'd take us away from it all." she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I don't know if we have a happily ever after, you know--but for at least some time we're happy." she sniffed as her lips trembled. "I haven't stopped loving you...and I know that wherever you are... even in hell you love me too... and that's..."

She remembered his face before she died--there at the foot of her stairs.

Telling her it was enough.

But is wasn't enough.

It was never enough.

"Long ages past..." she whispered to his cupcake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What are you thinking of?" soft murmuring voice came form behind him.

Spike took his gaze away from the night city and turned to look at Fadma as she lounged by the door frame.

"Or shall I say of whom?"

He smiled.

"Her highness is very wise," he said to her and turned to face her.

She was just absolutely stunning.

Most importantly --she knew it.

"You find me beautiful, M'lord?" she whispered, inching towards him.

He cleared his throat. "I find Nicole Kidman beautiful--makes no difference, pet."

She smiled. "Who's wise now?"

Spike shook his head. "I'm not wise." he looked off into the distance again. The desert was cold at night. He liked it. "If I had been wiser I might have not done some of the things I had."

"Have you ever thought that maybe and perhaps this is the path Allah had planned for you?" she asked coming to stand next to him.

He looked at her sharply. "No one shapes my path--I set it on my own. What I say and do now will determine the consequences of tomorrow!"

She got closer to him, drowning in the yellow light of his eyes.

"And what will you say and do now?"

Her lips were so close and she smelled like citrus musk--it was intoxicating him. But her green eyes were too small... not like Buff--

He shook himself.

"I will bid you good night, your highness and walk away." he whispered and did just that, leaving her standing there by the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's happening?" Spike asked Talsi who stood by one of the large pillars of the palace watching as they brought the slaves out to stand before Nabil.

"The war of the slaves--very big entertainment in the palace. The winner is given to a rich sheik or lord." Talsi told Spike as they walked closer to the scene.

"But it's not about the winner--it's about the betting."

"Betting?" Spike asked, confused.

"Yes, the sheiks and lords place bets on which slave they think might win."

Spike huffed. "Nothing changes in parts of the world--same human debility's."

He started to walk away.

"Lord William!"

Spike cursed internally and closed his eyes, slowly turning around and placing a smile on his face.

"Yes, your highness."

Nabil beckoned him forward and he went along. Standing next to the prince he looked at the six slaves before the prince.

They were dirty and in shackles, beards and flith covered them.

"I have been told you are wise, m'lord," the prince said.

Spike glanced sideways at Fadma who was sitting next to her father and she smiled innocently, he fumed.

"Have you?"

"I have--tell me, which of these slaves do you suppose will win--in whom shall I place my bets on?" he asked and the court was silent as they waited for Spike's answer.

Spike laughed a bit. "M'lord--how much exactly are you placing on the line here?"

Nabil looked pensive for a moment. "In American dollars?... Three hundred thousand."

Spike choked. "300,000?"

Nabil laughed. "If you're as wise as you are humble I will give you half my winnings--you can do with them as you please."

Ok, this was looking up--with that money could get his treasure.

"Agreed then--let me see."

He looked over at the slaves.

They were all strong and all very capable of killing one another.

But the third one from the right... he walked closer and studied him.

There was something in his eyes... the man looked back at him with defiement.

"This one." he stated and the room started the mumble.

Nabil leaned forward. "I was going for the fourth one--why chose you this one?"

Spike walked back and stood next to Nabil. He cocked his head to the side and held the slave's eyes. "He wants to live."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she woke she felt sticky and hot.

Where was she?

She sat up and realized that like tradition goes she had fallen asleep crying on his bed on the anniversary of his disappearance.

"Jeez--have I really stopped being so predictable?"

She stood up and brushed her clothes off.

Here was the wife of the future California Representative sleeping in a crypt--mourning for her dead lover.

She winced as her bare foot was embedded by something in the floor.

A little black thing she saw as she pulled it back up.

She picked it up.

A metal little black thing.

She studied it.

It looked like one of Riley's military accessories... maybe it had fallen when they were here that one time with the demon eggs.

She sighed and placed it next to her in the mattress as she tied her boots.

William must be waiting with all his things ready--it must be past 9AM.

She quickly looked around the crypt once more and placed a hand on the TV, just feeling it one more time and slipped out.

She arrived at Willow's house around 10AM with all the traffic. She was right--William was waiting with his small backpack all ready.

"Mommy!" he cried and jumped on her arms.

She groaned as she lifted him up. "You're heavy!"

"Big boy!" he claimed.

"Yes you are," she kissed his neck and he squirmed. "My big boy."

"Hey Buffy!" Willow greeted her smiling, her apron covered with cookie crumbs.

"He was missing his mommy last night so I told him lots of old Scoobies stories and baked him cookies for breakfeast.!"

Buffy stared at her friend. "You gave my three year old son cookies for breakfast?"

Willow frowned, realizing what she had done.

William smiled happily.

"Oh! They were oatmeal! Oatmeal is good--I think?" she asked unsure.

Buffy sighed and kissed William's cheek again. "It's ok, Wills--but when I can't make him take a nap today I'm sending him over."

Willow smiled, not knowing the consequences. "How was ... it?"

Buffy put William down and let him play with Ms.Kittyfantastico.

"Same old, same old... only less smelly." she frowned.

Willow frowns. "It stunk?"

"No!... I mean--it smelled of him... it's smelling less and less of him." she looked down at her son who was trying to handle a very pissed kitty. "I guess I should get used to it."

Willow smiled sympathetically. "I made some tea... let him play with Kitty for a while--let's have a little chat."

Buffy looked at her watch and surrendered. "Sure--being a politician's wife is not as time consuming as I thought... I guess Jack just doesn't want me involved."

Willow said nothing as she set the cup in front of Buffy. As Buffy sat she was reminded what she had in her back pocket as it poked her.

"Oh!" She pulled out the object she had found in Spike's cave. "Check out what I found."

Willow placed down the sugar spoon and took the object.

"Wow, Buffy! This is a highly sophisticated transmitter." Willow exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"It is?" Buffy asked confused and pulled William on her lap.

"Where did you get it?" Willow met her eyes.

"At Spike's crypt... must have been from the time Riley and I went there... you know with the eggs."

"Spike!" William said cheerfully.

Both Buffy and Willow stopped and looked at him.

"William?" Buffy asked him, turning him to look at her. "What did you say?"

"No--mommy said Spike."

Buffy smiled and tugged one of his stray curls behind his ear. "Mommy's good friend."

"I know him," he said and began playing with his toy truck, making noises for the motor and making it crash against Buffy's tea cup.

"William," she urged him. "How do you know Spike, baby?"

"In my dream," the truck crashed again.

Willow's and Buffy's eyes met--they were both wide.

"I'll check this transmitter."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Persian court watched with awe as the slave Spike said would win defeated the last slave.

They clapped and cheered. Spike laid back and nodded.

"William! You've made me a richer and more respected man!" Nabil clapped his back.

"I doubt 100,000 makes a difference to you, M'lord," Spike told the prince.

Nabil just laughed some more. "Riches come in many ways."

"That is does," Spike said.

"I'm indebted to you, friend--in honor of that I'll give you the champion slave!"

Spike stared back at him and blew out his smoke. "What would I do with a slave."

Nabil laughed. "Everything you don't wish to do yourself--don't refuse a gift, William."

He walked away to talk to the other rich sheiks that owned him money.

"Take him to my quarters," he told the guards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Buffy, check this out--I can see the day it was used by tracing the frequency," she said as she typed on her laptop then stopped and smiled at Buffy. "I've missed this--the Scooby thing."

Buffy smiled at Willow. "Me too... feels --normal."

"I got it!"

"Now Riley came here before Xander's first attempt at marriage...around February..."

"The frequency was sent on March 20..."

Buffy pulled back and stared at Willow. "That was yesterday... four years from yesterday--"

"Since he went missing," Willow answered for her.

Buffy stood there in shock. "Jack told me that it happened on his way home to me... out in the west cemetery, not in his crypt."

"Buffy..."

William pulled at his mother's pants. "Home," he whimpered and rubbed his eyes.

Buffy pulled him up and cradled him against her.

"I don't know, Will..." she looked ahead very darkly. "But I think I know someone who can help me out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nice party."

He turned with a smile to look at her.

"Yes, your highness." She smiled and walked around him, letting her clothes touch him lightly on all the right places--he bit his lip to contain a groan.

She placed her hands on the rail. "You're always hiding... always so far away." she turned to look at him. "Tell me about her."

Spike looked at her for a moment before he gave in. "She was brave and loyal and...beautiful..."

"You speak of her in the past."

Spike clenched his jaw. "She is in the past... she died... three years ago."

Fadma ducked her head--her sexual intentions completely gone and all that covered her face was concern.

"I'm sorry..."

Spike shook his head, not wanting her apologies.

"You still love her?" she asked.

Spike smiled. "She was... ripped from me... forced away from 'er..." he looked at her. "Sometimes at night... I tell myself she's still alive... waiting back home. Just... waiting."

"And..." she encouraged him.

"The day comes and it's no longer night... dreams belong in the darkness..." he sighed. "I've never told anyone ... I mean I've never talked to anyone about 'er--not after her death."

She rubbed his hands together. "Not even Archie."

"Archie--your friend in the island?"

Spike sighed, remembering Archie. "Yeah... good ol' Archie."

"I heard about the island..."

"Yeah... shit happens," he murmured. "Do yourself a favor, your highness... don't waste your time or pretty face on me... I don't want to forget... I'll be years before I forget..."

"I'm not asking you to forget," she stated and moved herself closer to him.

"Yeah..." he ran his cold hand over her bare shoulder and watched her skin rise with goose pimples. "But what you ask I can't yet give."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When I get back we'll talk, ok baby?" She explained to a very displeased William. He held his blankie closer to his face and turned away from her. "William, please--"

He ran into Tara's arms. The witch looked at both sympathetically. "I'll take care of him."

"Thank you," she told her with a small smile.

"Buffy are you sure about this? You'd have to tell Jack you've gone back there." Willow insisted.

"I know," the ex-slayer said determinedly and hefted her purse over her shoulder. "But I have to find out the truth, Wills... what if..."

Willow frowned at her friend.

Buffy sighed and grabbed her SUV's keys. "There's many 'what if's'."

"Please be careful," the red head warned.

"I will," she smiled and reached out touch her son's head. "I'll be back, baby--take care of your Aunties for me, okay?"

He didn't respond but only buried his face further into Tara's hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike entered his quarters and quickly servants took his extra wrapping until he was left with a plain black t-shirt and the black pants.

"The slave has been brought in, m'lord--he's in the study."

Spike nodded and rubbed his neck as he entered the dimly lit area.

The slave was on his knees with his head bowed and two strong guards stood on either side of him with their swords ready.

"He speaks not Arabic not English, sir," one of them told him.

"What does he speak?" Spike studied the man.

"Spanish."

"Thank you--you may leave," he told them.

The guards looked unsure.

"I can assure you I will be fine."

They nodded and left the room.

The slave didn't move.

"What is your name?" he asked him in Spanish.

The slave looked up at him but said nothing.

He asked him again.

The slave looked unsure and looked away. "Lugo," he said.

"Lugo?"

The slave nodded.

"How old are you?" Spike asked him.

Lugo sat up a bit taller. "Nineteen."

Spike whistled and walked around him, studying him and pouring himself a nice helping of whiskey.

"You're a boy."

Lugo's jaw hardened. "How did you become a slave?"

Lugo took a deep breath--as if he hadn't spoken in ages. "I lost a bet."

"You're a betting man then?" Spike asked, sipping his drink and looking at him.

"I've learned my lesson," he answered.

"A reformed better." he laughed.

Lugo said nothing but stared straight ahead.

Spike walked up to him and lifted up his shackles. "Want these off?"

Lugo studied the vampire and nodded.

"Then make me trust you." Spike responded. "That I won't wake up in the middle of the night with a stake in my heart... that I won't go into my bath one day and find out it's holy water..." he stopped and looked at him. "You get my drift?"

"I would not do so." Lugo stated.

Spike walked to him until they were nose-to-nose. "And why not?" he asked.

"Because you saved my life. Even without shackles I would serve you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack Marshall hung up the important phone call and smiled down at the papers before him. Everything was going the way he expected.

That is until his door were almost ripped open and he stood stock still staring with awe. "Buffy?"

Buffy dropped the transmitter on his desk and placed her hands on her hips.

The transmitter rolled until it was face to face with Jack.

He looked up at her with questions in his eyes.

"Explain," she said harshly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(Oh yeah--we're rollin' now *g* Also William's dreams will be addressed *g*)


	12. El Zerú

**El Zerú** -- part 11 of _The Island of Galleno _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. 

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: OK, moving along in the story--I know you guys are desperate for the B/S action and believe it's still to come--the Series is going to have over 15 chapters for those of you wondering *g* Also--I write AU just a reminder to everyone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about," Jack said calmly as he leaned back on his chair and laced his fingers together.

Buffy glared at him. "Like hell you don't! You told me Spike was killed while your team was patrolling the cemetery--I found this in his crypt." Jack stood up and walked around his desk to face her.

"You were in Spike's crypt... is this the little yearly ritual to mourn for him?"

A sharp slap to his face.

She narrowed her eyes. "You don't know anything about him." She spit out.

"No... but I know all about you, don't I, baby?" He walked closer to her. "I've seen the tapes, Buffy--you and him going at it. You were like a bitch in heat, couldn't get enough of his flaccid cold dick."

"Shut up!" she yelled at him. "He--"

"He was a vampire, Buffy. A Vampire. You are a human mother and wife... you have to let go of these fantasies," he told her.

She shook her head. "I'm no wife.... my husband is never home... and you're no father..."

Now he slapped her and she reeled back looking at him with surprised shock.

"I can give as good as I get, Buffy-- I know your deepest, darkest secrets...." he walked closer to her as she walked back against the wall. "What you think you know... you don't."

"I know what I know--I know transmissiona were sent on March 20 from that piece of metal... and I found it today in Spike's crypt... to my knowledge no soldier had been there since the Riley-rain-parade... and that was back in February."

He chuckled and caressed her stinging cheek, she flinched away. "Aren't you the cute little Scooby."

"Get away from me," she hissed but he grabbed her upper arms and pressed her body against his. She placed her two palms on his chest and tried to pry herself away but he continued to rub his face on her hair. "Jack, let me go!"

"Listen to me!" he told her.

She stood still, almost numb.

"I run for election in two years... you stay with me until then and into my time in office..."

"I'm not faking anything!" she cried.

"You fake what you have to... for Jacob's sake," he told her.

"William!" she corrected.

He smiled. "For your son's sake... you stay with me--I'm going to win that election... that transmitter you found was dropped as we searched Spike's crypt after we dusted him... no big secrets, baby. He's gone--and I'm what you have left."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ahhh... Janister weed," Nabil smiled and smoked his pipe. Spike smirked as he opted for his own cigarette.

"Smells good," he commented.

The prince laughed, his belly jiggling against the large silk pillows. "That is does."

They remained in silence for a while finally Spike sighed and looked at him. "What type of a man takes a vampire into his home?"

Nabil laughed. "A crazy man."

They both chuckled.

"No seriously," the vampire insisted.

Nabil got a twinkle in his eyes and stood up. "Come with me."

Spike quickly followed the man. They walked down corridors he had never been to, passing the more heavily guarded parts of the castle.

"What is this place?" Spike asked as it got darker and darker.

"This is the Dead Wing.... of things past, present and future."

Spike nodded and arched his brow at the paintings on the walls. Tales of heroes and princesses and their grand and adventurous tales. They finally reached a large bronze door that was opened by two guard, they gave Spike a torch to go in.

The room was cold and dark, windless and stoic.

"Place the torch here," Nabil told Spike. Spike placed the torch on a hole carved into the wall.

The moment he did the room was lighted in precise parts... parts to show a painting and writings. Ancient writing.

"These go back three thousand years in the history of man... in the time of darkness and despair," Nabil said, low and almost cryptically. "It tells of a time soon to come and almost near..."

He looked at Spike. "Read."

Spike faced the faded writing on the wall and began reading the Arabic ancient letters. "In the year close to none he will be taken from the sea, he will be fair and beautiful but bitter and strange. Human blood will not flow from his veins and he will be a half-breed, demon in nature but human in soul. He will be seeking riches but will find more at the mating of the sun. He will bring balance to the world--and so shall his seed. He will be El Zerú, the warrior of many--the warrior of none. Light shall shine in his path and though he is old in soul he will be new in life. So saith Allah the great and powerful eternal, in the year close to none."

Spike looked at Nabil, the man was staring straight at him.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" the vampire asked. Nabil said nothing and turned the torch a quarter clockwise--making another part of the wall light up.

There was a huge painting.

Spike gasped and stood back.

It was the sea. And a man being rescued by a fishing boat... the man was _him_ and on the top of the painting it read: _El Zeru_ is found.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

She quietly crept into his bedroom. He was huddled into a little ball, facing the wall, Mr. Gordo on his belly and Spike's old blanket by his nose. He was smelling it.

"William?" she whispered as she sat next to him.

He didn't respond.

She ran her hand through his golden hair and kissed his forehead and his scarred brow.

"Go 'way," he said and his face in his blanket.

She sighed and started stroking his small back like she had done so many times when he was younger. "Mommy needs to talk to you, baby."

He didn't move. She knew he was upset because she left him so long with Willow and Tara after she promised him they were going to eat ice cream together.

"I'm sorry..." she got closer. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Slowly he pulled his blankie from his face and looked at her. Her heart broke when she saw he had been crying. "Yes."

She laid down next to him and pulled him to her, enveloping him in her warmth.

"I love you more than anything in this world, you know that, right?"

He nodded into her chest.

"Won't you tell mommy about the dreams you had of Spike?" she asked him quietly.

He pulled back and sat down, pulling on his white socks. "He's in my dreams."

"Many times?" she asked, making him put his socks back on.

"Yup."

"Did he talk to you?" she asked him.

He smiled. "He talks like Grandpa Giles."

"Yeah?" Buffy smiled.

"He says Bloody hell!"

Buffy grimaced. "Don't say that word, honey--potty mouth."

"Spike says it!" William insisted.

"I know he used to...." She sat up and faced him, running her hands down his arms. "He's dead baby... in heaven...like Grandma Joyce."

William shook his head and chewed on his blankie. "Not dead. Far away."

Buffy studied him. "What do you mean he's not dead?"

"He told me," William said simply.

Buffy's heart was racing. "What did he say--exactly William."

"He said I'll come back home just be happy." he grinned, very proud that he could provide information.

Buffy bit her lip to keep herself from doing any sudden moves--William was talking which is more than what he's done in days. "Did he tell you where he was at...did you see where he was at?"

"In the desert. He was lost," William frowned and studied Mr. Gordo. "Said to take care of Mommy."

Buffy closed her eyes and swallowed. "What else to you dream of... with Spike in it?"

"He's a Prince," he smiled. "And he has a princess... she's very pretty."

"She is?" Buffy frowned.

"Her hair is black and she loves him very much."

_Drusilla_, was all she thought bitterly. _He's with Drusilla._

"Her skin is dark... and when she speaks I can't understand," he frowned.

Buffy paused and froze on her place. "Dark skin?"

"Yes... she's his wife," her baby boy said and leaned in to place his small head on her chest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What are you saying?" Spike looked around, bewildered. "What is all this? Is this a joke?"

Nabil said nothing and simply stared at him.

"I'm not some sort of Messiah! I'm a vampire! And EVIL vampire who is on his way to get back to Sunnydale, California and kill me some government boys!"

"Demon in nature but human in soul," Nabil quoted from the prophesy, silently.

"I don't have a damn soul!" Spike screamed, frustrated, running his hands through his hair, fingers shaking and sweating--sweating? He was goddamn sweating! "I don't accept this."

"Doesn't matter what you accept --what matters is what is, this is you, and the wise men told me six months ago that you would come... do you think that boat in the sea was a coincidence? That all has been because shit happens? No, no--this is your destiny Spike--you are the Zeru, you've been predestined to it from the beginning of time."

Spike screamed and took the torch and threw it against the floor, letting the darkness sink in as the fire died. They were bathed only by the light of the silver moon and the shadows of the night.

In the stillness of the night Spike could heard a faint song being played, from an old record, Ella Fitzgerald's voice filtered softly into the room.

Spike studied the painting before him and finally sighed. "I don't want this..."

"Want is one thing--"

"I don't." Spike sighed. "I don't want it... but..." He looked at Nabil with pleading eyes--hoping this was wrong. "What am I?"

"Who knows... but you're not your regular vampire... and I think you've always known that." Nabil lit his pipe, making it the only thing that radiated light in the room.

"What do I do now?" Spike asked after a while.

"Finish your revenge... only then will your heart be cleared... only then can the prophesy come true."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(6 months later)

"Do we have everything, Lugo?" Spike asked the younger man as he finished placing on his gloves.

"Yes, Zeru--"

"Would you stop calling me that bloody name?" Spike growled.

"No, Zeru," Lugo said as he handed him his horse reins. Spike rolled his eyes and tugged on his black stallion. His name was Xander... that way every time he said "Easy, Xander." or "Bad Xander." or "Go Xander." the horse would obey him blindly.

That made him smile all the time.

"There's a rider approaching, m'lord," one of the men in his company said as they looked on to the distance.

Spike's company of twenty men, including himself, Lugo and Talsi were apprehensive as the rider on the white horse and blue cap approached the desert hut. They had been camping out here for the past 2 days, readying to go treasure hunting.

"It's the princess!" one of them exclaimed.

Spike sighed. For the last year he had been trying to get Fadma to back up but she hadn't and he had begged her to stay behind, but the sparkle in her eye when he told her what he was going to do told him she planned to follow.

She stopped her horse in front of Spike and took off her hood, revealing a Princess dressed for adventure.

"M'lord, I bid to accompany you on your quest."

Spike sighed. "What did I tell you?"

"That her highness might not go least she break a bloody nail," she smiled and lifted her hand. "I cut them all off."

Spike's jaw worked hard. "Your father--"

"Was eager, he seems to think nothing you do could be wrong," she smiled more brightly.

"Fine! Don't start squealing when we get to the snake pits."

The riders started east towards the darkness of the desert.

"Snake pits?" she asked confused... and now almost terrified. "There's snake pits?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You sure this looks good?" She asked Dawn.

Her 19 yr old sister rolled her eyes and tucked a short stand of her nape-length hair around her ear. "Ok, you're wearing an Versace dress that was hand selected by one of his top stylists and you're asking me if you look good?"

Buffy pouted and sighed. "I just feel..."

"25?"

Buffy glared at her. "Thanks."

"Buffy you might be 25 but you look 20 so get over it," Dawn gave William his crayons and watched him draw objects on the large paper.

"Horse!" he grinned.

Dawn smiled at him and patted his spiked blond hair. "I see, Will."

"God I'm so nervous!" Buffy paced back and forth, rubbing her manicured hands together. "These next three months are going to be hell."

"Hell!" William repeated.

"Bad word, William!" she scolded but continued. "And I have party after party, dinner after dinner, I feel like my smile is going to fall off my face!"

"You wanted to be a politician's wife." Dawn reminded her as she opened her Psychology book.

"I know," she looked at herself in the mirror. "I really look 20 still?"

"Yes," Dawn answered without looking up.

"Mommy, look!" William handed her his latest drawings.

She knelt down by her son and took the paper. "Oh how beautiful, baby! What is it?"

William pointed at the black object. "Horse, Spike's horse."

"He's still having those dreams?" Dawn asked a very awed Buffy.

"Yes... now they've been coming in paintings, in songs... I should tell Giles but then...."

"About Spike." Dawn nodded.

"Why is Spike on the horse, baby?" she asked him and took the crayon from his mouth.

"Treasure!" he grinned and then pointed to the blue blob. "His princess."

Buffy nodded. She seriously disliked this princess character. "I see... why is she with him?"

He took out another sheet, disinterested in the old one. "The old man said so."

Buffy gave up. She felt she was channeling Drusilla and this worried her a lot. She walked to her bedroom and placed the drawing before her.

Somehow in the depths of her she felt she should listen to her son... she touched Spike's form. "Be careful." She whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On their 15th day they had lost their horses.

"Let them go," Spike had told them, the beasts were scared mad and ran for dear life. All except Xander who ironically reminded Spike of the real man as he stuck next to Spike no matter what... kinda like the whelp had done with Buffy.

They had traveled for days until the map made no sense anymore. A sand storm hit them so harshly that they had been forced into caves for seven days... food, blood and water were running out but Spike wasn't worried... he heard whispers in the wind. The whispers told him to keep going.

"I'm channeling Dru," he had murmured to himself.

When the sandstorm died down a bit, they wrapped themselves up in what scraps of clothing they had left... and with what men were alive by then.

Starting out it had been 21... they were now only 11. Ten had died fighting off wild snakes that were round and large in body, and walked on four legs. Demons of ancient times, Talsi told him. But Spike had no fear of them, they were only things in his way of his treasure and the way of getting back home.

Everything he fought had the face of that one man that ended his life, it all boiled down to him. Agent Marshalls.

They fought flying mammals with claws for feet, they were fast and large--one of those had wounded Lugo but he reassured his master he was fine and would continue with him no matter what.

Now they all stood in front of what was left of the underground tunnels.

They were dry to the bone--therefore the water was no longer poisonous nor were the fumes. But the sand beneath their feet was acid. Only their boots could protect them.

They walked cautiously, making sure they didn't disturb the land more than what it already was. Following passages and caves they came to a halt before a silver door. A large silver door who bore ancient Impotacg writing.

"I know this tongue," Spike said. It was one of the ancient Demon languages Archie had taught him--the older vampire had theorized that he might need to for his journey and right he was.

"It reads," he told them. "Only he who is of pure heart might enter--all others their bones sand will be."

The men murmured among themselves. The princess who was asking herself through much of the trip why exactly had she opted to join them stood next to Spike. "We should leave this place, it's cursed, I feel it in my veins."

Spike didn't look back at her.

"I'll go--you stay here."

He green eyes met his face. "No, Zeru--you will die. The land dislikes us!"

He said nothing and grabbed one of the torches--looking back at Lugo. "If anything happens to me get them out of here."

Lugo nodded, though he really disliked the idea of his master going in on his own.

Spike took a deep breath and opened the door.

He hissed as the cross that was painted on the door knob made contact with his skin but he did not stop turning the handle until it clicked.

Once it clicked the door was flung ajar by an unseen force and wind blew out of the entrance, with such force that Spike had to hold on to the walls before he could be blown away.

Once the winds ceased he stood before the entrance and started entering.

"Who disturbs the dark earth?" a loud, booming voice spoke in the Impotacg tongue.

"My name is William Perling... known as William the Bloody and Spike... most recently been called El Zeru."

He waited for what seemed like ages.

"El Zeru has come?"

Spike nodded.

"Speak up!" it boomed.

"He has... I have no pure heart but I have come from far--"

"I shall decide if your heart is pure or not!"

The caves shook, making the acid sand fall from the ceiling and splat on Spike's forearm, he hissed as it burnt but didn't move.

"Then might you decide quickly? I'm burning out 'ere!"

The cave gave a non-humorous laugh. "This is the grand champion? To this I shall give my treasure to?"

Spike's jaw hardened. "Any man can withstand physical pain--not all can stand emotional pain--I have that--I live with it every day!"

The entrance quieted and opened it's door more.

"Proceed," it said. "You have passed the first test."

"There's bloody tests?" he growled but nonetheless walked forward.

He walked through the darkened hallway until it reached an opening.

He gasped.

"Bloody 'ell," he whispered as his eyes widened before him.

An entire room filled with gold, gold everything--with jewels. "Ali a baba."

He grinned and ran to grab the treasure.

He promptly bounced and landed flat on his butt. "What the hell?"

He heard clapping.

He snapped his head to the side and his eyes widened as he saw... himself. In game face, black duster and red shirt.

"Welcome, you poof." it told him.

"Hey!" Spike cried, offended. "What are you?"

"I'm your deepest, darkest secret."

"I though I was that!"

Spike's head snapped as another being came to view. To his horror... it was William!

"What the bloody hell is going on?" he roared.

William adjusted his glasses and scoffed at him. "I dare say, you talk as bad as him," he pointed to GamefaceSpike.

GamefaceSpike grinned, proud.

Spike shook his head. "I just want my treasure, you two can play patty-cake all you want."

"No treasure without the test," William told him, in a poised, civilized manner.

"What test?" Spike arched his eyebrow.

"The test we've been waiting for," GamefaceSpike grinned then moved and what was once gold turned into an arena type of place. "You have to fight for it... and kill."

Spike rubbed his hands together. "Right... whom do I fight?"

"Me."

He turned around and gasped as he saw before a leather clad Buffy standing, cocking her head at him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(a/n: Buffy's beliefs in Spike's death will be addressed next chapter)


	13. Caves of Gold

**Caves of Gold **-- part 12 of _The Island of Galleno _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. 

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: This part is not really that long but very important in the redemption process of Spike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She held him close to her bosom and rocked him back and forth.

"William?"

Her four year old whimpered and burrowed closer to her. His fever was rising quickly. She looked up at Willow and Tara.

"Almost done, Buffy--he'll feel better after this," Tara smiled at her.

The witches put the potion together as Buffy wet William's face with the lavender water that Willow said would help. Her baby squirmed and cried.

"No!" he protested.

"Baby, this will make you feel better," she soothed him, his eyes tightly closed, moving his head from side to side. She placed the thermometer in his mouth again despite his protest and kept it there.

Pulling it back up.

103.5

"Shit, it's going up, guys," she said worriedly. "I'm going to take him to the hospital."

"Buffy, just hold on--we're almost done." Willow told her and poured the potion in a cup, letting it cool down.

"This will bring it down immediately," Tara told her.

Buffy bit her lip and wet William's little arms and his neck, kissing his forehead and letting his heat burn her lips.

"Here, give him this," Willow said, handing Buffy a bottle filled with the green goo.

Buffy grimaced at the liquid. "He's never going to drink this."

"Try, he needs to at least drink half of it," Tara said, coming to sit next to her in bed. "I'll hold him."

Buffy handed her sweaty child to Tara, Willow held his face in place as he squirmed. Buffy took a deep breath and brought the bottle to his lips.

"No..." he cried and tried to break free. "No medicine."

"It'll make you feel better," Buffy tried, forcing the nipple past his shut lips. He cried and finally gave in. After drinking a little over half of it, she pulled the bottle back and wiped his chin and neck.

She took a sobbing William from Tara's arms. "I'll draw him a cool bath," the witch said and Buffy nodded in thanks as she held her crying baby.

"This needs to stop... these dreams are killing him," Buffy whispered to Willow.

Willow knelt next to her and stroked William's back. "I don't know what to say..."

"I have to tell Giles... we've found nothing in the Magic Box's collection... they're getting worse, Willow," Buffy let her tears slip on her shuddering child's hair.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Willow asked tentatively.

"Sure? For the past month he's been waking up sweating and with 103 fever, saying he's hurt and in pain and I can't see my baby this way anymore," Buffy held him tighter.

"He might just be sick..."

"He's afraid to go to sleep, Wills... he begs me not to put him to sleep and there's nothing I can do," Buffy's bottom lip trembled.

"I'll call Giles tomorrow," Willow told her and stood to help Tara with the bath.

Buffy sighed and sniffed, stroking William's hair and pulling back to look at his face. There were tear tracks down his face and his cheeks were pink and swollen.

"No sleep," he told her as he opened his eyes slightly. She wanted to hit something when she saw the pain reflected in those blue eyes, they reminded her so much of when Spike would get hurt... she would ignore him--never a kind word, never offering some gauze or anything.

"You drank you medicine and you'll be fine for tonight," she tried to sooth him. He shook his head and wrapped his small legs around her waist as he leaned against her and buried his face in her chest.

She wrapped her arms around him, tightly.

"Want it to stop," he whimpered.

She laid her head against his damp hair and nodded. "Mommy's trying her best to make it stop, baby... soon it'll be over." She whispered into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike blinked once. He blinked twice. Then he ran to her.

She smirked and back slapped him hard, sending him smashing against the wall, cracking the stone.

"Hands off, bleach boy," she smirked. He struggled to get back up. Gasping at how much it had hurt... he had forgotten how hard she hit.

She... he tasted that term in his thoughts. Quickly he turned to look at her.

She looked absolutely beautiful. All in black with long golden locks cascading down her shoulders.

"You're not her..." he chuckled. "Nice trick, boys..." But looking around he didn't find his mixed counterparts. It was a dark arena. Only her and him.

It always came down to her and him.

"I'm very much real, Spikey," she chuckled. "I'm what's real inside of you... anything that is left of her... this is me," she smirked. "Like the threads?" she pointed at her outfit.

Spike narrowed his eyes. "You're not her!" he screamed at her.

She gave him a pitying look and sharply kicked his face, making him fall, flat on his back, dazed and confused.

"For a bloody vision you sure hit hard," he mumbled to himself and brought his hand to caress his jaw.

"Up you go, big boy," she said as she hefted him up on her small bony shoulder and dragged him to the edge of the fighting ring, she quickly dropped him, making his spine hit the edge of the ring.

He groaned and rolled on his stomach, his emotions bleeding much more than his internal organs. This wasn't fair! How dare they show him this, how dare they make him beat her and hit her and do all the things he didn't want to do... how dare they show her to him in this light.

He felt her fingers grasp the short strands of his hair and pull him up. He hung limply on her grip. He pressed his face against her breast and started snuggling to her. He whimpered at the feel of her smooth hands and her soft hair. She started kissing his forehead, his nose.

He opened his eyes slightly and now she was no longer dressed in black leather but she had a flowing dress on, her face was free from the thick gunks of makeup and she smelled of vanilla rather than musk.

"Buffy?" he whispered.

"Shhhh," she murmured softly and smiled at him, kissing his parted lips.

He closed his eyes and sunk down with her on the floor. They were no longer in the arena... they were in the grass. The early morning dew hung around them.

"I love you," she whispered. He pulled her in his arms and just held her.

"It's not fair," he whispered into her hair. She felt so real, so sweet, so soft.

"Please come back to me," she begged as she pulled back, tears making tracks on her flushed cheeks. "I need you."

"You're dead," he told her.

"Dead without you," she responded and touched his lips. "Let me show you."

He closed his eyes just feeling the heat of her fingers warm his chapped lips and then it was gone. And he was alone, he knew it in his bones.

"Buffy?" he gasped as he opened his eyes. Now he was in the cemetery.

And he saw her come into view.

In her blue jeans and large black coat. She looked sad.

"Buffy?"

She didn't respond but continued walking, twirling Mr. Pointy in her hands.

"Buffy!" he cried and walked in front of her.

He stood in shock as she walked through him. Like the ghost he was.

Then he heard fighting. How long had he stood there?

Running to her he saw her fighting a large demon. Full of scales, and horns and gashing teeth. She fought well, but in a moment of relapsing the beast gashed her shoulder. She cried out in pain.

Spike charged forward, trying to tackle the demon. He fell on the ground, going right through them, like a spirit.

He sat there, watching in horror as Buffy hit it again but struggling, wounded and bleeding. The beast grabbed her waist with it's large claws and lifted her up in the air, bringing her face close to his.

It roared.

She winced as her ribs were crushed under the beast's claws.

"No!! Buffy, fight!" Spike cried, on his feet and beating on the air.

But she had no fight left in her and slowly, as her insides crushed within themselves her head lopped to one side. She was thrown on the grass floor and the beast walked away into the night.

So here it was--she had met her death.

"No..." Spike walked to the broken body. Her face was angelic as she lay in the moonlight. "No..." he cried, tormented.

He lay next to her, cursing and unable to touch her as his hands slipped right through her body. "No!" he sobbed--reliving her death all over again.

"Buffy!!" he cried out into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She sat up and gasped in bed.

Looking around her she cursed herself for allowing herself to be tormented by these dreams, again.

Pulling herself from her bed covers she put on her robe and walked out into the large hall. There was a light in the kitchen so she walked in, not knowing who would be up at this time of the night.

It was William.

The four year old was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor staring at...

She screamed.

There was blood, blood all over, on his blue pajamas, on the floor, small handprints on the counters.

"William," she dashed forward to inspect him. "Who did this? Did you do this?"

He didn't answer her and just stared, straight ahead--as if in a trance. "Baby, please!"

Suddenly he snapped out of it and looked at her, his blue eyes watering. "He's hurting."

"You're hurt?" she asked desperately.

He shook his head. "Not my blood."

"Whose, blood, William--tell me!" she cried as she shook him.

He started crying. "Not mine."

Buffy panted and looked at the blood around them. "Whose is it, baby--mommy won't be mad."

He looked at her. "The one."

"The one?" Buffy wiped his tears. "Who is the one?"

"He's in pain--the one in the heart," he sobbed.

Buffy looked lost and about to cry herself. "Oh... jeez--what's happening?" she asked the empty room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He didn't know how long he sat there--on the grass, crying his eyes out, just watching her torn body, blood making a pool around them both.

"I love it...when a slayer dies, don't you?"

Spike's head snapped up and he looked at the creature before him. "What are you?"

He creature smiled and chuckled. It was thin, disturbingly thin... and white. With bug black eyes and two antennas.

"Well, why don't you leave me to mourn before I pull out the bug spray?" Spike asked, wiping the tears from his face.

The albino roach laughed. "Vampire with balls... how nice, most just walk away and mind their own business."

"She is my business," Spike snapped at him, almost growling.

"Then why haven't you returned to her?" it smirked.

"Returned?" Spike asked. "I was ... bloody away!" he looked down at her beaten body. "Now she's dead." he closed his eyes.

When he opened them he was no longer in the cemetery with Buffy at his feet--he was back in the arena.

"How touching."

He quickly turned around--annoyed at the little game being played with him. And there she was in front of him--the same Buffy dressed in leather from head to toe. She smirked.

"Didn't think you'd get rid of me this easily, did you?"

Spike sighed. "You're not 'er... so why don't you just... bugger off."

She strode up to him, hips clad in leather singing at him. Right to his face.

*Slap*

A sharp sting on his cheek--not nearly using her real strength.

His jaw clenched as his blood boiled. He was tired of this.

Without warning he lashed out, punching her across the room. He was startled as he heard cheering... loud cheering--like an Arena.

He looked around--jaw dropping as he saw the masses of demons cheering him on.

"Kill the Slayer!" they cried.

"Drain her dry!"

All of the sudden he was back in the Cage.

His eyes narrowed as he saw Buffy standing up with a scowl on her face.

This was his ring.

Here he was the king.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I wish you would've told me about this before," Giles told Buffy gently over the phone. The blonde played with the cord.

"I know... it was just-- William put that down!" she sighed as she watched her son, warily, place her glass figurine on the table. "It's been rough as it is..."

"Something you shouldn't have had to endure alone... we're not your enemy, Buffy..."

Buffy nodded. "I know... I just knew the way you guys felt about Spike and I..."

Giles sighed and she could see him cleaning his glasses clear across the country. "We would've worked through this... Buffy," he began and Buffy tensed almost knowing what was coming. "We have to tell the council... it's not everyday a slayer gets pregnant by a vampire... and if Willow hasn't found anything in Anya's collection I might be able to find something here."

"I don't want the council to know," she said quickly, picking up William in her lap as he lay his head on her shoulder.

"Buffy--"

"They might take him away..." she tightened her hold on her four year old. "I can't let that happen... you know that."

"I won't let them take him away... a child belongs with his mother, I think they would understand that enough," he tried to soothe her.

"Wanna talk!" William asked, trying to grab the phone from her.

"Giles, William want to say hi," she said.

"Of course," the older man smiled.

"Hello?" William asked into the phone.

"Hello William," William grinned at Giles' familiar voice.

"Grandpa Giles!" William greeted, happily.

Giles got a sick twisted feeling in his stomach. This was Spike's child... yes he was also Buffy's, and he'd always love her like a daughter but he was Spike's... he now knew why Buffy kept this from him.

"How are you, lad?" he asked.

William giggled. "You speak like Spike."

Buffy froze and quickly took the phone away from a confused William.

"Giles?"

Giles was trying to process what he just heard. Buffy had specifically told him that the only ones who knew about Spike was Tara, Willow, Dawn and himself--now.

"Buffy how does he know?" he asked, confused.

"Well... you see, that's the other thingy..."

"What other _thingy_?" Giles frowned.

"He's having dreams... like prophetic types..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before he knew it he was beating the shit out of her... or it, he didn't know all he saw was hate.

Her blonde hair was falling and splaying everywhere, blood ran down his hands, mixed with hers and his as his knuckles were cut on her teeth.

"Ahhh!" he screamed and he straddled her and pummeled her.

Over and over and over again.

Yet... he suddenly was back in that alley long, long ago... where she did the same to him.

He stopped.

Looked down at the mess he had caused and gasped as he saw her tattered face.

He gasped and backed away, crawling, drowning in his own horror.

"Oh god..." he gasped. She lifted her head just a bit and grinned, blood flowing from her lips and tongue. "You always hurt the ones you love."

She chuckled. The crowd went wild as she plopped down.

"No!!" Spike screamed and curled himself into a ball. A tight, little ball of pain and suffering. "No... no... no..."

He didn't know how long he stayed in there with the crowd cheering and the scent of her blood running through him.

"Easy there, William..."

He looked up at the familiar voice. "Archie?"

The older vampire was sitting in his chair, amongst all his books --smoking his pipe and smiling at him. "The one and only, William."

"But..." he sat up and saw that he was lying in his cot at the old hut. "You're dead... this place got blown to bits..."

"Of course it did!" he laughed. "But it doesn't stop it from surviving in your head... you're the only one left... the only proof that we lived here at all."

"I'm lost, Archie... I don't know what to do...you should've come with me," Spike sniffled.

Archie took a drag from his pipe and shook his head in disagreement. "I left something for you."

He stood and beckoned him to follow.

Spike walked behind the vampire for what seemed like hours, through the once familiar jungle until they reached the caves were they had found the boat.

"Remember how deep I told you these caves went in?"

Spike nodded. "Thirty seven feet under the earth."

"Start counting," he told him.

Spike counted the feet as they descended.

"Stop." Archie told him.

"Twenty five?"

They were twenty five feet into the decent. Archie nodded and crouched down on the ground. He ran his hand over a piece of pale white stone.

"Here, find it here." he looked up at Spike.

"Find what?" Spike asked, confused.

"Go home, William--much is waiting for you there."

Spike blinked ...and he saw his life pass before him in slow-motion. Then suddenly he was blinded... like an explosion.

He felt nothing but saw everything, like the island was blown --how all the creatures didn't have time to run before they were disintegrated.

She screamed in shock and then he was falling on his butt.

His eyes were wide as he looked around him.

He was back in the chamber of gold.

The cave of gold. With mountains and mountains of it. The black lake gold.

He grinned... then laughed.

"Whoo hooo!"

"The test has been completed." he heard a voice say. It sounded like the roach guy but he shrugged his shoulders and grabbed a golden idol as he ran out the entrance door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lugo was standing watch when Spike almost trampled over him.

"Zeru! You're alive!" Lugo literally crushed Spike in an embrace.

"How long was I away?" Spike asked as he saw Fadma's eyes light up and his men looking at him as if he should be dead.

"Thirty seven days..." Fadma answered for them all.

"Fuck..." he murmured under his breath. He took a deep breath. "Matters now... let's get packing.. it'll take days to get the stuff out, well need to summon help..."

He threw the golden idol to one of his men they smiled at him.

"And then what, Zeru?" Lugo asked him.

Spike patted his back and smiled at him. "Then I'm going home, Lugo... home after six years."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...


	14. The Prodigal Son--Part A

**Prodigal Son** -- part 13A of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Song lyrics belong to The Wallflowers, "Some Flowers are Born Dead"

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: And he's back in the States... of course you don't actually think that I'd give them each other that easily. *eg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_We didn't make it We did not pull through   
You shouldn't blame me I don't blame you   
Now what else did you think that I would do?   
Ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough_

He stood in front of the house for what seemed like days. Months. Maybe years. He could've sworn he saw the sun come up and down on the house, watching as the shadows played on the windows, on the trees, on the front steps.

He sighed and walked a few steps to ring the doorbell--fully expecting Lil'Bit to come bouncing down the steps.

A three year old answered the door.

Jet-black hair and blue eyes stared up at him. "Hello." she greeted, smiling up at him.

Spike crouched down to her level and studied her. She didn't look like the whelp's unless Tara and Willow adopted...

"And who are you?" Spike asked her.

She smirked at him. "You rang my doorbell."

Spike chuckled. "It's yours, then?"

She nodded. "I know who you are. I saw you in my dreams."

Spike froze and stared at her.

"I'm going to marry William," she smiled.

"William?..."

"Aileen, who's there?"

Spike looked up to see the mother, same raven haired beauty. "How can I help you?" she asked.

"I..." he looked back at Aileen and gaped at her. She smiled innocently at him. "I... an old friend used to live here."

The mother smiled. "I'm Donna," she stretched her hand. "We moved in a few years back...Miss Summers married and sold the house to us."

Spike gulped. So 'bit had married then?

She smiled. "They moved to L.A...not sure where, sorry."

Spike nodded. "Right, no worries... I'll find 'er."

"She's a sweet girl... been through a lot, especially since the baby--"

"Baby?" Spike choked.

"Yes... so young but she seemed to be pulling from it, especially from the help of her friends." Donna went on. Spike crumbled inside.

God help the idiot who had done this to Dawn.

"Well.. thank you for the information, Ma'am." he gave her a small bow and winked at Aileen who blushed and him from behind her mother's skirts.

"And you are?" she asked him.

Spike paused for a moment. "Lord Zeru Perling."

Donna's brow's shot to her hairline and back down and picked up her daughter as they watched Spike walk away. "He looks like William," Aileen commented.

Her mother groaned. "I've told you to stop telling such stories, young lady..." The scolding could be heard as she closed the front door and went inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'm so tired of waking up feeling bad   
You haven't been the kind of place I have   
Could it hurt you now to let this pass?   
oooooh as if it wasn't hard enough   
You want to make it so much harder_

"Did you call the Mayor's wife?" Jack asked Buffy as he passed the room, rolling his shoulders to relax himself.

Buffy nodded. "I did--nice stuffy old lady."

"Buffy!" Jack glared at her.

"I'm sorry... it's just that her nose seemed higher when I told her that I didn't attend an Ivy League school." She pouted.

Jack passed right by her and kissed her head, in a hard, hurriedly type of way. "That's nice, honey."

She watched as he walked out into the hall and began his press conference. Her shoulders slumped. "Thanks for listening." She murmured to herself.

The press was buzzing, asking him one hundred and one questions.

"Mrs. Marshall?"

Buffy turned her head to see their maid, Theresa, holding a crying William. "He wouldn't stay with the new nanny," Señora."

Buffy nodded and took William into her arms. He was five already but he looked like he was four. Small body frame thin and short, plus he had a type of baby face.

"Mommy!"

She cradled him to her chest and murmured soothing words. "It's all right, my love, mom's here."

"No more dreams, mom--the old man said so," William smiled at her.

Theresa looked at the blond couple awry. "Thank you, Theresa--I'll take care of him now." Buffy told her, to get the woman out of the office.

The older woman nodded and left swiftly leaving the scent of rosemary behind her.

"So, no more dreams?" She asked, pushing his glasses up his small nose. He grinned and shook his head.

"The old man said so, he said everything was going to be ok."

Buffy sighed. "Well talk about that more when your grandpa Giles comes, okay William?" He nodded happily. "How's school today?"

William frowned.

Buffy frowned. "Are they still making fun of you in school?"

He nodded sadly. "They call me a geek..." he said quietly. "But I don't mean to be one..."

Buffy sat him up and stared at him determined. She could clearly see Spike as a little boy in him. All shy and intellectual. "You're not a geek, you hear me? Don't let anyone put you down... you're very special--more special than you or I can imagine, you know that, don't you?"

He nodded slowly and leaned in to her embrace. "I hate school."

Buffy grinned. "Well... at least I know somewhere you resemble me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Now in another world I could learn to forget   
But 'til then I'm here making room for new regrets   
Now some flowers they never bloom   
And some flowers just bloom dead_

It was 8:45PM when the black long limousine pulled up in the old L.A. street. It smelled like carnage in the air--like many bad things where to come and many had already passed.

It was raining, not the strong torrential rain but the smooth small pebbles of night-kissed water kissing the city streets with it's silent murmur.

One man got out from the front passenger seat with an umbrella. He was dressed in a sharp black suit and perfectly trimmed beard.

He walked to the very end of the long limousine and opened the door.

A younger man in his late twenties stepped out, with a fine Armani suit, pressed and made to fit. His inside shirt was black silk and it was unbuttoned in the top--as if he hated the feel of the material against his pale skin. His hair was slicked back and natural blond, curling slightly behind his ears. He smirked at he looked up at the building from underneath the large umbrella.

"You sure this is a good idea, Zeru?" the man holding the umbrella asked the blond man.

He smirked. "Oh I think peaches would just love to hear from me."

Together they walked up the slippery steps and the servant knocked on the door.

Seconds later the door was answered by a young thin woman with glasses perched crookedly on her nose. She smiled, innocent was the word to describe her.

"Hey there! Clients, right? Come on in," she grinned.

The blond man smiled back at her. "Not clients, pet.. here seeking Angel... an old friend."

Her smiled disappeared and she grew apprehensive, placing herself behind the door. "Umm...friends, of the good kind?"

The blond chuckled. "Too late for that don't you think, luv--you already invited me in."

The girl clearly gulped and paled.

"But don't worry--had my dinner already and the rest of my people are humans." he smiled.

"Oh..." she looked like she was torn between being polite and letting him in or getting Angel first.

"You have my word that I won't lay a hand on any human... I'm sure Peaches can defend himself."

"Ok... I'll let him know you're here." she said, then moved out of the way, watching them warily.

"Thank you, so kind." he smiled.

"Who shall I tell him is here?" she asked, pushing her glasses back.

The man looked around a bit, smiling at the hotel--as if in approval while his servant wiped the small droplets of rain that had fallen on his silk suit. "Tell him it's his old pal Spike."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The way you make me feel I could collapse   
An epidemic I cannot outlast   
How could you feel used when I feel trapped?   
ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough_

"Spike??!!" Angel looked at Fred in shock.

"I though he was dead... that's what Buffy said, right?" Cordy asked, coming up behind and placing her chin on his shoulder. But he was completely tense--not one muscle moving.

"Are you okay?" he asked Fred.

She nodded. "He seems very nice and... refined... his servant--"

"His servant?" Angel gaped at her.

"Yes... he came in a limo..."

"Son of a bitch," Angel roared and grabbed one of the hanging swords from the training room. Connor watched his father warily.

"Is he something to kill?" he asked him.

Angel looked at his twenty-four year old son and nodded. "Vampire--the worst kind."

Connor grinned and grabbed another one of the sword, both of them clanking swords together as they walked out of the room.

Cordy watched them dreamily. "I never get tired of seeing them do that... Angel being extremely fine and Connor being simply adorable."

"He's 24, Cordelia and do you ever stop ogling at your husband?"

Cordy smiled at her and shook her head. "Nope."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Angel and Connor made it downstairs all of Spike's followers had assembled themselves throughout the lobby, looking around and guarding the vampire against any possible threat.

The threat came rather quickly as both Angel and Connor attacked Spike, swinging their swords dangerously. Before the sword could touch one hair of Spike's head another sword came from Lugo who was alert and prepared and saved Spike just in time. Angel froze when a sharp arrow was pointed at his back--Connor froze when he saw his father's life was on the line and glared at the men.

"Peaches, is that the way to treat family?" Spike chuckled. "All hostile and what not?" The younger vampire walked around Angel relishing how his grandsire fumed at being threatened in his own home.

"Noone threatens the Zeru," Lugo hissed at Angel.

Angel studied the young man before him--he was younger than Connor. "We can all die here... including you." he said to Spike.

Angel hissed then stopped as he felt a sharp arrow being pointed in his back by Talsi. "Don't speak that way to Zeru." Talsi smiled at the vampire. "I have no quarrel in wasting you... friend."

Connor tensed, his entire body stilling. "Leave him be." He growled, his sharp eyes scanning the room, calculating how they would get out of this.

Spike walked up to the young man who was much taller than himself. "And what have we here?" He studied him as Connor glared at him. Spike gaped when he smelled him... he smelled like... family. He started laughing. "Peaches, you horny bastard!"

Connor was about to jump to fight but Angel help up his hand to his child. "You're not welcome here, Spike"

"That's not the impression I got from your lovely door girl... never got her name..." He took a seat in the arm chair and crossed his legs.

"Who the hell died and made you the godfather?"

Spike turned to see Cordelia walking towards them in a flowing red flower dress that hugged her body at all the right curves her short blonde hair pinning her for the perfect example of L.A. Style.

"Cordelia Chase, my, my, my--don't you just get lovelier every year... dare I say! Have you been working out, pet?" Spike leered at her.

Spike was jumping inside as he heard Angel growl at him. "Don't speak that way to my wife."

"Wife?" Spike's smile faltered. The his jaw set, pissed as can be. "Ain't that a picture perfect family. My father the vampire and my mother the cheerleader... it's like a bad 80's horror film." he looked at Cordelia. "The hair even goes wid'it."

"Ok, ex-bleacho guy, where have you been for the past few years? Who are the fanatics? Why the heck do they keep calling you Zeru and where the heck did you buy those Pakini shoes?" Cordilia strode up to him as she talked.

Spike looked up at her innocently. "I've been held captive on a solitary island for the first four years, then I traveled the world, in adventures, treasure hunting, princess fucking--you know the drill. These 'fanatics' are my followers--out of their free will, they'll place their life on the line for what they believe, I suggest you don't place them in that position--I'd have to kill you then. They keep calling me Zeru cause I'm some type of Messiah for their people or what not--hell--I can't keep up with all the prophesies flying 'bout... seems like you had your share of ancient talk. And the shoes were bought in Italy, nice little place--I would've brought you something had I known you were still the same size." He pointed at Connor.

Angel digested the information and saw the sincerity in Spike's eyes behind their twinkle of mirth.

"Imprisoned where?" He asked as he brought down his sword. "We thought you were dead... dusted... in Sunnydale, that's what Willow told us." he sighed. "Buffy took it hard, they say."

Spike's features hardened and he looked away, studying his nails. "Yeah well... I came back to make sure the nibblet was ok and taken care of."

"Dawn?" Cordy asked.

"Yeah..."

"She's in college, UCLA... biology major, right Connor?" Cordy looked at the younger man.

Connor glared at the vampire. "Yes."

"Great--just needed for you to point me in the right direction... promised the lovely lady," he pointed at Fred who was almost hiding behind a pillar. "That I wouldn't hurt anyone, so... I'll be on my way."

Spike's men placed down their swords, guns and crossbows, they filed behind Spike like a protecting blanket.

"You didn't tell me where you were at all this time," Angel told the younger vampire.

Spike turned to look at him. "It's in the past, Peaches... leave it be."

"You should've at least told her something... she would've appreciated it," Cordy told him softly.

Spike took his overcoat from Lugo and slid into it, letting the fine silk cover him. "Yeah...well it doesn't matter now... she died before I got off the island..."

"Died?" Angel cried.

"What island?" Cordy said at the same time.

"We saw Buffy last night... on the six o clock news, when did this happen?" Angel roared.

Spike gaped at him. "You saw..."

"Last night, her husband is doing a big campaign in the downtown area, trying to win votes."

All eyes focused on Spike. He stared at Cordelia, then at Angel... then he didn't know what to do. "She's..."

"Alive... and she's married... and has a kid."

_And just as my conscience starts to clear   
I drag the river and you're still there   
The way I bring you down could not compare   
ooooh as if it wasn't hard enough   
You want to make it so much harder_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC in Part B (soon I promise)


	15. The Prodigal Son-- Part B

**Prodigal Son** -- part 13B of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Song lyrics belong to The Wallflowers, "Some Flowers are Born Dead"

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I had to split it in two because each part had a different theme--in Spike's persona and would flow better if split, plus a lot has to happen before they see each other. *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**PART B**

_Now in another world I could learn to forget   
But 'til then I'm here making room for new regrets   
Now some flowers they never bloom   
But some flowers just bloom dead   
Now some flowers they never bloom   
And some flowers just bloom dead_

If you've ever hit a glass ball with a hammer and listened to the sound of the shattering glass, then see the pieces fall to the groun like droplets of perfection, shattered, shattered on the floor. Making puddles of delight, showing visions for what they are.

He felt like running and like singing and like shouting and like killing something.

"Alive... and she's married... and has a kid."

He heard those words over and over in his head, until he tasted them in his mouth.

"Buffy's alive... married..." he gulped. "And has a kid?" He knew now what heat felt like after one hundred and twenty years of not feeling it--heat was coursing throughout his arms and neck and hair and eyes it was a dreadful feeling--he idly wondered if he would spontaneously combust--that thought didn't seem bad anything to get away from the real truth--that tiny part of him that cursed himself for believing some demon's words.

Of course she wasn't dead! She was too hard to kill! Demon bragging--that's all it was...and all these years...but now...

"When did she..."

"Marry?" Angel asked.

Spike swallowed and nodded.

"About five months after William...." the older vampire's eyes went wide. "Oh..." Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

Buffy wasn't upset cause he had become a good friend, she was upset because... "She loved you."

Spike looked down to the floor. "I thought she did..."

"Jeez what a soap opera!" Everyone turned to look at Lorne who was in his bathrobe with a Martini in one hand as he watched them all from above. "Oh no, please continue, gorgeous."

Spike glared at him. "I need to get out of 'ere."

"I'll get the car, Zeru," Lugo said quickly and two men were already going to fetch the car.

"No...I want to be by myself." Everyone looked at Spike as the vampire slumped his shoulders and let his overcoat drop, like a warrior loosing his last battle, he walked in-between all the creatures in the room, his head bowed and went out the door.

Cordelia sighed and looked at the men left in the lobby. "I'll be a good hostess and offer you drinks?" Some of them nodded in thanks. "Follow me." Both her and Lorne played host.

On her way out she stopped by her husband's side. "Go after him--don't let him do anything stupid."

Angel nodded and handed Connor his sword.

"Why didn't we kill him?" his son asked, glancing over at the door that the vampire had gone out.

Angel sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Remember the shades of gray we talked about?"

Connor nodded.

"This is one of them... Spike's is... well aside form being a son of a bitch he's some of the few family I have left. Dru and Darla are both dead... he's all that I have of my past."

Connor clenched his jaw. "He doesn't go near Dawn."

Angel smiled. Dawn and Connor had been best friends for over two years--nothing came between them. Although Cordelia had tried her best to play the matchmaker they were only interested in being each other's protectors.

"I doubt he wants to harm her... he was once her protector."

Connor glanced at his father and reluctantly nodded, taking the swords to return them to their proper place.

Angel was grabbing his coat from the hanger when he noticed that Lugo was still standing by the door, keeping watch.

"Zeru said not to follow him," he told the vampire.

Angel nodded. "I know, but I have a right to not listen to him."

"You're his maker?" he asked.

"No... but I'm the closest he's got."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Grandpa Giles!" William cried happily as they greeted the old man in the airport.

Giles laughed and grabbed William as he threw himself on him. "You've grown!"

Buffy smiled at them, taking Giles' handbag from him.

William pulled back gave Giles a peck in the cheek. "Missed you!"

Giles smiled at the boy and pushed the little boy's glasses back. "You've got glasses!"

William frowned. "I needed them... I didn't want them but Mom said I had to get them."

Giles looked at Buffy for the first time.

She was a woman now, all grown, raising children and attending political meetings. "Buffy..."

Buffy didn't let him finish and leaned into his embrace. "I missed you," she whispered. Her watcher was not as young as he had been when he had first arrived in Sunnydale. His hair was almost entirely gray and he had more fine lines--his head was almost completely bald and he looked... shorter. But he was still Giles, he smelled like Giles and he sounded like Giles.

Giles held her close, along with her child who seemed to pick up on people's mood...reminded the old watcher of his *gulp* father.

Buffy pulled back and smiled and she whiped her stray tears. William instantly wiggled out of Giles' grasp and stood in front of his mom looking up at her. "Why are you crying?"

Buffy smiled down at her inquisitive son. "Cause mommy's happy," she looked at Giles who also had stray tears joining his Crow's feet.

"Very well, let's get my bags then, shall you help me out, William?" The boy was still not convinced about his mom and he gave her knees a hug then joined Giles in search for his luggage.

Giles sighed as he leaned back into the sofa, cup of tea in one hand. "Brilliant chair you have here."

Buffy laughed and took William into her lap, pushing up his glasses as they had traveled to the tip of this perky nose. "I think it's cause he jumps on it daily."

William smirked and Giles' guts twisted as he reminded him of Spike.

"So William... how is school?"

The little boy's mouth twisted and he hid face in Buffy neck. She sighed. "Pre-K is not as fabulous and basic colored as they made it out to be."

Giles studied the little boy. "Won't you tell grandpa about it?"

William shook his head in Buffy's neck.

"He's extremely smart... I think that's why they don't like him."

Giles nodded. "You want me to tell you a story, then?"

William peeked at Giles, one bright blue eye studying him. "They teased me at school too... I bet you they even teased Spike."

At the mention of Spike's name William sat up and looked at Giles, directly. "Spike's cool--they wouldn't tease him."

Buffy smiled at him, knowing full well what Spike was like before he was turned.

"Ahhh, but he was... and look what he became!"

William's face lit up with a smile. "I want to be like Spike," he announced, making Giles spill his tea and Buffy's mouth hang open.

_The way I sleep this bed just can't be made   
I pull the covers up around my head   
Now when I think of me   
I think of somebody else instead   
As if it wasn't hard enough   
You're gonna make it so much harder_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He felt like one large big piece of numb material, dressed in a too fine suit and walking hollowly in the streets. He could hear the echoes of a thousand heartbeats all-drumming along like one big parade.

Thump thump

Coming, coming for him--so close and near yet so unreachable.

He hated everything at that moment and he wondered if he laid in one of these alleys the night would swallow him whole and he would never be heard of again.

Because this pain, this pain was killing him. More than her death, more than his departure, more than anything. He felt dead.

Floating log on a river of perversion. Alone, desolate and cold. Even this thick suit didn't save him. Nothing could save him now--he was a gonner, a 'short timer', Charlie being shot down... like a dog, like a miserable creature that begged his death, like an animal being put to sleep.

That's what he was... that's how he felt.

All colors blended together and he wondered if he had a sudden case of male-color blindness. It felt good--this numbing pain. Like anesthesia.

He stretched out his arms, hoping more would be injected directly into his veins.

Closing his eyes he just walked, arms stretched... god he wanted it all to stop--to end. He was tired of running around in circles. Where everything was lies, lies, lies.

He cared not how long he walked like an out stretched Christ, on his road to Calvary. Suddenly he was hit, from the side. Impacted by another human body, flying, flying in the air until they crashed into a pile on the street.

Suddenly the pain of a broken rib made it self known and he groaned, opening his eyes to glare at who was the cause of his pain.

Of course--why had he wondered.

"Get the hell off me, you poof!"

Angel glared down at the younger vampire and got off him.

"You almost killed someone out there!" Spike looked to were he was pointed and saw that his 'via dolorosa' was actually 9PM, L.A. traffic. Close enough.

"I don't care!" Spike spat back.

Angel punched him.

Spike punched him back.

And then they were fighting--all fists and fangs, backs against the wall not knowing who was going to win.

Angel was larger and stronger, but was surprised at how much Spike had improved since the last time he fought with him.

A few minutes... or was it hours later both were panting, bleeding and broken as they stood opposite of each other, resting their backs against the alley walls.

"I hate you," Spike growled at him.

"Same here," Angel responded then his cell phone rang. He winced and he stood up to take it out of his coat pocket.

"Hello?"

"Are both of you done? Dinner is ready," Cordy was heard through the device.

Spike arched his brow at his grandsire as he said goodbye and hung up the phone. "Has you a bit on the whipped and battered side has she not?"

Angel glared at him. "You don't speak about Cordy... or look at her."

Spike chuckled. "Keep your Dockers on--I'm not going to take the chit away from you..." he looked down at the ground. "I don't care any more."

Angel stared at Spike for a while, watching how utter loss was shown across his face. "When Willow told me you had fallen in love with Buffy... back when she died, after the whole Glory thing....I wanted to go out there and kill you for lying to her and disillusioning yourself... but when I saw you taking care of Dawn from far away I knew you meant it...so I let you be."

They locked eyes and Spike finally looked away, not understanding why Angel was telling him this.

"I'm not going to say she loved you..."

"She told me she did," Spike rasped then sniffed. "Bloody bitch lied."

Angel looked down at the floor again. "Buffy doesn't lie."

Spike chuckled, darkly. "I hate to be the one to destroy the altar but... she does lie, she lied to herself, to her friends and to me.... I've never lied to her... or anyone."

Angel glared at him.

"Ok, maybe some but never her... at first I respected her too much to do so and then I loved her too much." Spike snickered. "Bloody fool I was..."

"Won't you at least talk to her?"

Spike pushed himself off the wall and turned his back on him. "No."

Angel sighed. "Why not?"

Spike took a deep breath and let it out. "I couldn't do it... all this time she's been dead to me... and if she thinks I died it's best to leave it at that... let her think I died. Let her live happily ever after with her husband and kid... let her live the normal life you wanted for her... the one I told her she'd never have."

"She's not the Slayer anymore," Angel told him quietly.

Spike turned to face him. "How did that happen?"

Angel shrugged and tucked the cell phone in his pocket. "Wesley has this long explanation for it but all I know she's no longer the Slayer... no Slayer strength, stamina or duties."

Spike looked down at the ground for a moment and nodded. "You see... I no longer belong in her life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I wish Spike was here... I've wished it many times," she whispered.

Giles chewed on the arm of his glasses as he watched her.

"I'm sorry, Buffy."

She shrugged. "It's nothing that can't be altered..." she took a deep breath and looked at Giles. "God... it's been six years and I still miss him."

"He's the father of your child, he'll never leave you now," Giles said.

Buffy smiled and looked at her watcher, she had missed talking to him so much. "Every time I look at William... it's like I see him all over again... I'm surprised Xander or Anya haven't noticed."

Giles grumbled. "She's too busy making money and he's too busy being himself."

"When did we get like this... where did we go wrong?" She asked, a bit confused and looking very much like a lost girl.

"You didn't go wrong... as one grows older one forms their own lives, it doesn't mean you love them less or think of them less... it's all part of growing up, Buffy--it happens to everyone."

Buffy smiled. "Things were so simple back then... sometimes I miss it."

Giles nodded. "Me too."

Buffy sighed as Giles took a sip from his cup.

"Did you find anything about William?" she asked, taking the empty cup from him.

He stood up and followed her to the kitchen. "Not about him..."

She turned to look at him, glass still in hand. "About whom then?"

"We found," he wiped his glasses. "Something, after looking through various ancient text of various different cultures--"

"Giles!" Buffy scolded him desperately. "You found?"

"There's a prophesy, Buffy... about a vampire... a vampire named William."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cordelia's head snapped up as they entered the hotel. Bloody, beaten and tired.

"Oh my god what did you do to him?" she scolded at her husband.

Angel gaped at her.

"He started it, the bully." Spike said innocently.

Angle growled at him. "I hate you."

"Stop it--we have some blood in the fridge that can be warmed up, Angel be a host and go get it for him." Cordelia said, taking Spike's arm and making him sit down. "Anything I can do to make you more comfy?"

Spike studied the cheerleader. "I'm not giving you half my kingdom."

Cordy looked innocent for a moment then sighed. "Fine, mister--no warm blood for you."

"You can do me something... and I'll be a generous customer."

She stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "What can we do for you... as long as it doesn't involve the killing of innocent humans..."

"Not innocent...I need you to find all the information on a certain soldier that attacked me that night... I need to find who was responsible for ruining my life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn Summers grinned at her classmate as she joked about the new pot-bellied professor.

"And then he hands me the papers and tells me, 'gee, Miss Nelli perhaps you should write a book on your theories," Kristen laughed as she told Dawn her experience with the professor from Hell.

Dawn laughed at her friend's face. "I hate him--I so hate him, but the class is almost over--thank god for these short summer sessions."

"I know--imagine a full semester of this crap!"

They both grimaced and walked on through the campus.

From about fifteen feet, sitting inconspicuously sat Lugo, watching the brunette. She had short wavy hair and wore jeans and sneakers, with a UCLA sweat shirt on.

_She was beautiful..._ curved in all the right places and bright and shinny when she laughed. And her eyes....

Lugo sighed as he watched the girl.

She was... god, he could stare at her forever, the young man thought. He shook himself off and stood up, walking behind her at a good distance.

They stopped to check out the shoes in a store window and Lugo made a note of the shoes Dawn wanted but stated she was broke and hated asking 'Jack' for money... he was a bit disappointed.... until she mentioned that Jack was not her boyfriend and indeed Buffy's husband.

_Jack... _Zeru would not like that name, he would say that it was 'poofy' or whatever that meant.

They laughed as two guys passed them by and their necks craned as they checked them out, but the real beauty was Dawn.

_...Dawn...._

After following her for a while the other girl bid her goodbyes and Dawn continued through campus alone, oblivious to anyone following her.

Lugo knew he should stop, walk away and tell Zeru she was okay... but there was something in the way she walked that had him following her, following her around a corner. He walked faster as not to loose her.

Once around the cornoer he didn't see her and cursed himself for not being faster.

Before he could finish his 'damn' he was hit in the middle of his back with a large stick.

He crumbled forward and moaned.

He was hit again then he was kicked sharply and flipped over on to his back.

Through hooded eyes he looked up to see Dawn standing with the bat in her hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm not saying he's alive, Buffy... in fact I doubt it, I think William's dream simply mean that he's meeting his father's prophetic essence in his dreams... no more. And somehow Spike is going to be William's supernatural guide to whatever the Powers have planned for him--that is all... Spike is dead, Buffy--it's time to accept that." Giles explained to the blonde before him and watched sadly as she deflated.

"I thought that maybe this meant..."

He shook his head and wrapped his larger hands over her tightly clasped ones. "No... I'm sorry... but you're son--the son of you love is destined for something large--big--"

"I mean you had to hear him, the things he said, the things he saw--"

Her eyes pleaded as Giles sadly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Buffy... it doesn't mean that Spike is alive... it simply means that all that he was continues to live in William, and you.... that's all of him that is left."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Spike is here," Wesley stated rather flatly as he walked into his office and saw the vampire leaning over Cordelia looking at the computer screen while Fred furiously typed next to him on her laptop.

Cordy looked up and smiled at him. "Oh hi, Wes!" Then went back to her typing.

Wesley's mouth opened and closed again.

"Spike is here," he stated again. "Like in William the Bloody."

Spike looked up from the screen and smirked at him. "Heard of me, have you?"

Wesley gulped and saw Fred as his next meal. "Fred... Cordelia... walk away from him slowly... where's Angel?"

Angel chose that moment to bump into Wesley. "Oh, sorry, Wes--didn't see you there." He strode into the room and looked at the same place Spike was looking at. "Found anything?"

"Okay... what's going on here?"

Fred looked up from her PC and smiled at her boyfriend. "Spike's our new client... our new high paying client."

"When did this happen?" he looked at Angel. "And what happened to you?"

Angel sipped some blood from this mug. "Spike beat me up."

Wesley arched his brow. "Oh... a bonding thing I presume?"

"God no!" Spike cried, indignantly. "Nothing like that."

"Oh... nice... anyone up for explaining... I though you were dead." Wesley was still beyond confused.

"It's a long story," Cordelia said not taking her sight from the screen.

Everyone remained quiet, doing their work as Wesley stared at them still confused.

"Is anyone going to explain it? I'm still the boss!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Who are you?" she demanded from on top of him, bat still in hand obviously not afraid to use it.

The young man blinked up at her. "Lugo...Ricardo Lugo."

Dawn was breathing hard but she backed up. "Why are you following me?" she demanded, her curls falling around her face.

"I..." Lugo tried to come up with a good reason.

She kicked him hard in the ribs, he grabbed her foot and pulled her down, his strong arms grabbing the bat and tossing it aside. "Stop that!"

She screamed, trying to get away from him. "Let go of me! Help!"

He clamped his hand over her mouth but she bit his flesh hard and he winced, pulling away. "Stop it! I mean no harm!"

She slapped him and wriggled out of his grasp. "Let me go!"

He grabbed her hips and plopped her down on his lap, holding her upper arms and keeping her there. She tried to struggle but he was far stronger than she was.

"Listen to me, please!"

She took the one second to look at him... really look at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "I mean no harm..."

"Then why be all creepy about it... why follow me and stalk me, then hurt me?" she demanded, small tears slipping from her eyes.

He admired her bravery--she had seen many nasty things in her life. "I'm going to let you go...please don't run--I mean no--"

"You mean no harm, I heard you the first time, kind of hard to believe with the bruising of my arms," she hissed, sniffling back in fright.

Instantly he let her go... but she didn't move, just sat there on his lap breathing in and out.

"I didn't mean to frighten you..."

"Why are you following me?" she demanded, her eyes sparkling.

"I was sent to protect you," he said, smiling a bit.

She stared at him. He was in his early twenties--like her, tall, maybe taller than her and he was a soft cocoa color, hazel eyes that shined in the night, his jaw was strong and set with a thin layer of scruffy beard. Ok--she would admit he was gorgeous.

"Who sent you?"

He smiled shyly at her. "I'm not to tell."

She snapped out of her daze and quickly got off him, and started walking away.

"Wait, Dawn!"

She froze and turned to look at him. "How do you know my name?"

"I was told your name... I thought you were younger." he said softly, his voice almost calming.

"Ok--freaky, I'm having a Sarah Connor moment... are you from the future?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"A Sarah who?" he asked confused.

"Oh my god, are you from the past?" she asked him.

"What? No! I'm from now... not here--I'm from Spain... and Morocco and many other places," he said.

She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I have to go."

"I know," he answered.

She nodded and started walking away then stopped and turned to look at him. "Will I see you again?"

But he wasn't there. She looked around confused and sighed. "Great! Now I'm having Buffy moments."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ok, I think I found something," Fred said, excitedly.

It had been over three days of research, of tons of coffee and caffeine charged blood and nothing had come up. "I think I got into this ghost site that it's completely restricted...there are project files."

"Try looking for Galleno," Spike told her.

She looked through all the choices and shook her head. "Nothing."

Spike sighed. "Island?"

"Nope."

"Slayer?"

"No." Fred shaked her head.

Spike grinned. "_Pulpo Azul."_

"...mmmm.... yes." Fred smiled. "Blue octopus, what is it?"

"It was the security system perimeter around the island what prevented us from escaping." He explained.

"This is truly fascinating..." Wesley whispered as he read over Fred's shoulder.

"Yeah--a real threat." Spike huffed. "Should write on your notes all about it."

"Perhaps one day I will," Wesley snipped back.

"I have everything here, head of operations, hostiles, days, times, transmissions—you name it!" Fred typed away.

Spike leaned in. "I need you to find who was in operations on March 20th."

They waited while Fred went through a few folders then her face lit up.

"I have it! Hostile: William the Blood otherwise known as Spike. Has been stabilized with a restraining with a permanent implant that could only be turned off but not removed without causing severe brain damage—"

"Can we skip this part? Get to the part with the soldiers," Spike hissed.

"Right… agents on duty…they have pictures, are those okay?" she asked him tentatively.

"I can recognize that face anywhere," Spike murmured and Fred nodded, clicking on one of the seven agents that were there that night.

Spike shook his head. "Nope, next one."

The next one opened and it wasn't him either. On the fourth attempt Spike froze and Cordelia gasped. "That's him—that's the bastard."

"Jack Marshalls?" Angel asked him. "Click on his record, Fred."

The girl did as asked.

"Holy shit.,. he was the one who authorized the destruction of the island." Spike spit bitterly.

"Yeah, and he's also Buffy's husband."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

TBC…

(I know you guys want them to meet—I can guarantee that next chapter the meeting will finally take place.)


	16. The Masquerade

**The Masquerade** -- part 14 of _The Island of Galleno _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to Chris de Burgh for the song Lady in Red and Madonna for Take a Bow, Shakira's Eyes Like Yours is also used.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Ok, this is supposed to be 'the chapter' so I hope I pull it off... I'm more nervous about their first meeting than Spike himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(3 months later)

_Take a bow, the night is over   
This masquerade is getting older   
Light are low, the curtains down   
There's no one here_

"His name is Lord Perling, traveling with his wife, Princess Fadma of Safi," Jack explained as she tied his bow tie.

"He sounds like a bore," Buffy told him, hating that he was asking her to do this.

"All I ask of you is to entertain him, I work my ass off to feed this family and the only thing I ask of you is to make him feel comfortable, flirt with him for all I care... but with your wonderful neckline I doubt you need to do that," he sneered at her.

She glared at him. "You bought me this dress!"

Jack laughed, she did look delectable. Dressed like a Cinderella in a red silk dress. The top plunged and showed off her moderate breasts, and her back was completely bare as the material started at the base of her spine, and a high slit traveled up her leg, exposing her perfectly tanned and shaped leg. Her long golden hair was made up in a beautiful loose bun the strands were held with red roses and golden pins. In her hand was an exotic mask that he had bought from some Italian designer. The mask was white, with long red and black feathers that spanned out like a peacock, and rouge draped cheeks.

"I look like a harlot." she stated, scowling at herself.

"It's a Masquerade, my darling dear wife," he taunted. "Everyone is supposed to not be themselves." He took his mask with was gold and black, lacking feathers but being decorated with jewels. "Hide behind your mask."

He walked out, leaving her deflated and alone. Now she was flirting to get him the rest of his money--with a married man no less. She scoffed at her mask--hating that a smile was seen in it's eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You think this is wise?" Angel asked as he came into Spike's room.

The blond fixed his cuff links, making sure everything was perfect. "A wise man once told me to follow my instincts, that's the smart thing to do."

"If Jack is indeed as dangerous as we've been seeing don't you think you're placing Buffy's life in danger and her son's.

Spike hardened at the mention of the son. "I'm after Jack, if he hurts her... or her son I'll make sure he pays."

"You're still risking them," Angel told him.

"Then what would you have me do? Walk away?" he growled. "Pretend I don't care and simply disappear..." Spike sighed. "I need to know the truth. The solider boy told me that night that he was going to take care of her for me... for all intents and purposes this is an entire secret operation to indulge the Slayer."

"She's no longer the Slayer," Angel reminded him.

"So says watcher-boy and the high and mighty council," Spike snapped and eased into his jacket that Lugo extended out for him. "This can all be a plot--"

"Do you think Giles would really do that to Buffy?" Angel challenged him.

Lugo eased out all the wrinkles in the silk black suit as Spike tugged on his blood red silk tie, then ran his hands to flatten his beard. He had grown the beard to disguise himself from Buffy and Jack and anyone else who might recognize him--the mask would be the final trick.

"No--I don't, but he could've also been deceived." Spike said quietly.

Angel sighed and leaned forward. "Not everyone is out to get you, Spike--the world is actually composed of some honest people."

"Yeah?" he turned to look at his grandsire. "Bet they all fit in the palm of your hand."

Spike stared at him turned on his heel and headed down the hall.

Angel sat in silence, looking at Spike's room. The vampire had bought a huge mansion in the upper side of town and it's decor was looking more and more Victorian. The carpets were dark burgundy and the walls were ivory and evergreen, low lights giving it an eerie glow.

"I wish I were going to this ball--it's supposed to be a big political thing," Cordelia said, coming in to sit on Angel's lap.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her in, resting his head on her breast as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"He's going to get himself killed," he murmured.

She kissed to top of his head. "Would you do the same for me?"

Angel mock-growled at her and she smiled. "I hate it when you're right."

"I know," she answered happily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Say your lines but do you feel them   
Do you mean what you say when there's no one around [no one around]   
Watching you, watching me, one lonely star_

"I won't be gone long... and you have Giles," she smiled at him. He eyed her warily. She pushed his ever slipping glasses up his small face and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

He clutched his blankie closer and watched her leave. "Mommy!"

She turned to look at her son running up to her, his small legs making him almost trip.

"What is it, baby?" she whispered as she held him against her chest.

"You look pretty," he said, the back away from her and ran to Giles' arms.

"Enjoy yourself, Buffy," Giles told her with a small smile. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah right!" she laughed and walked down the marble stairs to an impatiently waiting Jack.

"Be back before Midnight!" William shouted after her making her laugh, but it didn't even crack a smile on her husband's face. "He's just kidding, Jack."

Jack shrugged and ignored her statement. "Remember all I told you about the Lord Perling--I need his contributions for the final part of the campaign--election is only weeks away."

Buffy sighed and placed her mask on, securing it tightly. She took Jack's hand as he helped her into the carriage.

The donors had gone all out for this ball--it was the last one and they were going to make a bang in the L.A. community. There were going to be more Millionaires than she could deal with... including his parents.

She seriously dreaded this masquerade.

_Make them laugh, it comes so easy   
When you get to the part   
Where you're breaking my heart [breaking my heart]   
Hide behind your smile, all the world loves a clown_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The theme was 'Times Past' as all types of costumes were showed off. Exotic ones brought in from Persia and rare ones from Brazil.

Masks of all shapes and sizes, some worth over millions as the cream of the crop arrived at the mansion.

Whispers were heard about a new comer from Morocco who came with his wife and had more money than what he knew what to do with.

The biggest frenzy was that he had completely financed the special entertainment for the night. It was a party not to be missed as Champagne more expensive than some dared guess was passed around freely. Presents from far off lands were given away without a second thought. Rare birds, jewels, shoes, fragrances, cloths, everything and anything was given and received.

Buffy braced herself as they ascended the stairs to the main room, two women dressed in Persian clothes greeted them took her overcoat and Jack's... she scowled as Jack admired one of the girl's perfect mid-drifts.

Songs and laugher was heard from inside as they entered the main room. They stopped every so often to greet people she could care less of and grinned, thankful half her face was not visible.

"Has Lord Perling arrived yet?" Jack asked one of his assistants then squeezed her hand.

She glared at him but played her part. "Yes, I so look forward to meeting him."

"As do I, tell me--what have you learned of the Lord?" Mrs. Patrick asked Buffy.

Then they endured a tirelessly conversation about the damn Lord and his millions.

She hated it.

But was also glad as the time passed and the Lord didn't arrive. People were beginning to speculate that he was a ghost, Buffy almost put her foot in her mouth as she informed them that ghosts were not as friendly as they are meant out to be. She them told them it was a joke and they laughed lightly. Inside she seethed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We're late," Fadma told Spike as they sat inside the large limousine.

Spike was looking outside his window. "I know--better late and make the grand entrance."

Fadma sighed and looked at him. "Why are you trying to hurt her?"

His jaw clenched over and over again. "I just asked you for the favor, can we stick to that?"

"Fine."

"Fine," he agreed.

After a while he felt bad and looked at her. "I'm sorry... you've been nothing but a good friend, Highness."

She smiled at him, almost grown accustomed to his mood swings. "I do what pleases M'lord."

He sighed. "One day you'll make some man very happy."

She looked down at her perfectly manicured hands. "Matters not... the man I wish to make happy won't let me."

"Fadma..." Spike started, sad that he was taking advantage of her like this and she let him, more than willingly.

"Shhh, we're here," she cut him off--not wanting to have this conversation.

Both of them placed on their masks and waited for Lugo to give them the 'go'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Oh, you know I have seen   
A sky without sun   
A man with no nation   
Saints captive in chains   
A song with no name   
For lack of imagination_

She was talking with one of the current senators when the room filled with over 600 persons suddenly went completely quiet.

A young man, dressed in Arabic robes came in with a pair of cymbals and slammed them together, making the sound echo throughout the room.

Then the lights were turned off.

It was pitch black around them and Buffy moved uncomfortably.

A soft sound of an Arabic pipe was heard...then drums...then rhythm, more rhythm and then an explosion from within the hall.

Everyone screamed in delight and Buffy watched behind her mask as dozens of women and men with hardly any clothes on them ran dancing into the room as the rhythm flowed around them.

Some gymnasts did a mini show while running, picking up each other by the feet and doing cartwheels that Buffy was once able to do.

Men placed fire torches in their mouth, women belly danced near the public figures, monkeys and parrots ran and flew wild as everyone cheered and the music drummed in Buffy's ears.

_And I have seen Darker than ebony   
Ya he ya he ya la he   
You know it seems that   
I Without your eyes Could never be_

And suddenly the rhythm got faster, louder, hips moved faster, monkeys screamed louder and there he was.

At the top of the stairs, with a Persian beauty at his arm, Lord Zeru Perling.

Her mouth hung open at the feelings that this man behind this mask made of black, red and pure gold. They began clapping and all she could do was stare, with her mouth hung open.

The cheering went on more and more until it was thundering in her ears and he descended the stairs.

Women danced around him, shaking their hips until she thought their thin skirts might fall off. Silk throws were being flung at the crowd as acrobats did jaw dropping moves until the crowd screamed in fright.

The rhythm went on and on until...

She was in a thrall as he locked eyes with her.

They were blue--across the room she could tell they were blue and for some reason or another her heart began to beat, beat louder than the drums, quicker than the women's hips.

She was lost in those eyes, he didn't blink--just held her like a hypnotized child in a toy store.

Then his face was grabbed and he was kissed--fully and passionately... by his wife.

The crowd loved it and cheered them on.

....But there was something... about the way he kissed, the way he held his wife.... she cocked her heard and moved through the crowd, watching him, watching them and feeling a surge of inexplicable jealousy run through her.

_My one desire   
All I aspire Is in your eyes   
Forever to live Traveled all over   
Crossed lands and oceans   
There's nothing   
That I wouldn't give_

He was loving the way her mouth gaped when she saw him--he knew she had no clue who he was and it made it better for him because not even Fadma's mouth made him forget those green eyes of his blonde slayer.

He parted from his 'wife's' embrace and walked down the steps until he was one on one with the crowd. He looked for her in the crowd as he greeted people that meant nothing to him.

He saw her and smiled. She was watching him from far away... and she looked absolutely stunning. More beautiful than any other woman in the room, with her plunging cleavage and her exotic mask.

"Lord Perling!" He turned to look at who called his name. And his blood froze.

Before stood a smiling Jack Marshall, eager to greet the famous Lord.

_Came from Bahrein   
Got to Beirut Looking for someone   
Comparing to you   
Tearing down Windows and doors   
And I could not   
Find eyes like yours_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He blinked his eyes as he saw grandpa Giles dead asleep to the world on the livingroom chair. He poked his knee.

Nothing.

"Grandpa," he whispered.

Giles snorted and started snoring.

Sharp thunder was heard outside and he jumped, clutching his pig closer to him. He wanted his mom.

He padded his way to her room and found it empty. He looked around and sighed.

There was only one way to deal with this. He'd have to go look for her.

He ran to his room as the lightening struck outside and pulled out his over night book-bag from under his bed. Quickly he put on his favorite outfit.

His loose blue jeans, black sweater and his small boots. He took a hoodie from the coat hanger and zipped it up, placing Mr. Gordo and his blankie inside his book bag he looked around to see what else was necessary for his trip.

Aha! He grabbed his little cars from under his bed and placed the black Desoto his aunt Dawn had bought him inside his bag, then a cool motorcycle that his mommy said he could never ride but could have as a toy.

Then he placed a pair of Spiderman underwear and his cool Spiderman PJ's in there and zipped it up. He placed it on his back and walked to his window.

He was going to find his mom... she shouldn't be too hard to find.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn sighed as she closed her book. It was no use, she was not interested in Anatomy when she had all these thoughts swimming in her head.

"Ricardo..." she murmured.

Shaking her head she stood up and stretched. Having Buffy marry Jack had given her special privileges in the dorms. She had her own private apartment with a kitchen, livingroom and her own bathroom. She loved it but at times it was lonely and she would ask one of her friends to stay over.

She padded her way into the small kitchen and gasped at what she found.

A bouquet of purple tulips in a glass vase, their bright green leaves opening like a fan. She looked around, almost afraid of what she might find.

There was a note on them.

_Dawn_, it read.

She cautiously grabbed it and opened the small note.

_Thought you might like a bit of cheering up, Lugo...Ricardo._

She gulped then picked up the phone to the main reception at her building.

"Hi, yes this is Dawn Summers from room--"

"Yes, Miss Summers how can I help you?" the kind voice asked.

"I... were flowers brought to my room?" she asked.

"Yes, a young man brought them by and I slipped them into your room while you were showering," she explained.

"Ohhh, thank you." Dawn smiled and hung up. Looking around once more to make sure she was alone--she was.

Then she squealed in delight and did her own version of the snoopy dance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The U.S. representative to be, Mr. Marshall?" Spike asked, his cockney accent completely smoothed out and replaced by an elegant sound that made Fadma grimace.

"How delightful to meet you and what I show you have brought us!" Jack smiled at him.

It took all he had to keep himself from ripping the man to shreds at that moment, he wanted to see his head hang high... and blood drip from his toes... yes, that sounded good.

"Bringing in a bit from all the lands," Spike grinned and shook the man's hand.

Jack laughed. "I've looked forward to your arrival for quite some time, Lord Perling, please let me introduce you to my wife."

Spike was shaking inside. If he could burst... he would.

From behind him he pulled a red gloved hand that brought forth his Slayer. Clad from head to tow in red silk, her face covered with an exquisite mask.

Her eyes immediately met his and he had to remind himself to be harsh, to be indifferent and to be arrogant.

"How do you do, Mrs. Marshall," Spike bowed curtly.

She was staring at him for some time, as if trying to see through his mask and the beard.

"Buffy!" Jack hissed.

"Oh... I--hi!" she quipped.

Spike had to force back a grin. Still his same Buffy...well not his Buffy.

Jack turned three shades of red. "I do apologize Lord Perling, my wife, she's a bit on the shy side." He laughed nervously.

Spike didn't grin. He got a sinking suspicion that their marriage was not as shiny and well waxed as it was made to seem.

"And do excuse my husband for being rude himself," Fadma said from her position next to him and extended her hand to the dark haired man.

"Yes, my wife, Princess Fadma Perling of Sufi," Spike placed his hand behind her back, pushing her forward.

"Your Highness, how delightful to meet you," Jack purred and kissed her gloved hand eyeing her plunging neckline discreetly.

Buffy almost rolled her eyes at the gracefulness exhibited by the princess. And this Lord Perling was sending her some majorly wiggy vibes.

Jack wasted no time and grasped the princess' hand in his as a fine tune of Tango was started. "With all respects I am going to ask to borrow your beautiful wife."

Spike's jaw tightened. He seriously hated this sleaze.

"Only if you give me the honor of dancing with yours," and he met Buffy's eyes. There was so much sadness in her that is hit him like a trolley car. "That is... if the lady doesn't mind."

Buffy's wide eyes got even wider. "I can't dance the tango--"

He took her hand, glove meeting glove. "Let me lead," he whispered.

And while he was pulling her along the dance floor she noticed how all eyes were on them... she would attribute the goose pimples she felt all over her to that... not that fact that her hand fit perfectly in his.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles groaned at the pain shooting up his back when he tried to sit up. "Bloody damn chair," he muttered.

He sighed and looked at the clock. 12:45AM.

_Damn_, he had slept for three hours. _I suppose I was more tired than I had thought._

He picked up his book and started towards the stairs.

"Always with the two story bedrooms," he muttered.

He paused and looked at William's door. It was closed. He smiled and walked to the door to make sure his... grandson was alright. He chuckled at the thought.

_Who would've ever thought that him, Rupert Giles would think himself a grandfather?_

Pushing the door open he peeked inside.

Then gasped.

"William?"

No answer.

He turned on the light to check the blue room. He looked under the bed, in the closet and when he realized that the window was open his stomach dropped.

He sat down on the bed to calm his speeding heart. When sitting on the bed he saw the note in blue paper that read 'Grandpa Giles' in child's scratch.

He quickly opened it to find William's messy writing inside.

_Der Grandpa Giles,_

_It wus raining and I got scared so I went to find mommy. I'l be bak_

_William Jacob Marshall_

Giles' heart stopped as he ran to the phone.

He dialed the number Buffy gave him just in case of an emergency, his fingers trembling while he tried to steady himself.

"Hello?" a French accented voice was heard on the line.

"Yes, good evening, I am trying to get in contact with Mrs. Buffy Marshall--this is an emergency," Giles explained quickly.

"I do not know any Buffy Marshall," the man told him.

"She and her husband are guests at tonight's ball, please I need to speak with her," he pleaded, taking off his glasses and rubbing them.

"There are 600 people in the house tonight, how on earth will I find her?" the man demanded.

Giles boiled bright red. "Is that not what they pay you for, you twit? Get off your hide and find the bloody woman!"

The butler jumped and nodded. "Of course Monsieur, right away."

"Tell her to come home immediately, her son is missing," Giles told him and grimaced when he hung up on him.

The butler ran quickly through the crowd. "The damn English," he muttered under his breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was trembling and he guided her to the dance floor, and it was as if the entire room stopped everything that they were doing to watch them dance.

To a dance she had no clue how to do so.

Carlos Gardels' _Por Una Cabeza_ was started with a soft, hypnotizing rhythm.

"I really have no clue how to dance this," she whispered to him as he pulled her to him.

He grinned. "Ever see 'Scent of a Woman?"

She nodded.

"The girl didn't know how to dance... she just," he pressed her intimately against his body and gasped. "Let him lead."

Placing one hand firmly on her bare back, with his next he grasped her hand and stretched it out.

"Now let me lead," he whispered as he rested his cheek against hers.

She shivered and was glad that her chest was pressed to his right now because she was defiantly turned on--by a man she had just met!

That hadn't happened since...

Her thoughts were interrupted as he flung her body away from his and made her spin, before she knew it his hand was wrapped around the back of her neck and he was leading her, making her step backwards.

"Relax," he coaxed her.

The relaxation did it as she let her instincts take over... and let herself drown in his eyes.

They were blue.

The palest blue.

She wished she could remember what Spike's eyes looked like...

Before she noticed she was actually dancing, getting completely turned on as he pressed their bodies together and grabbed her in all the places that a married man and woman shouldn't touch.

He was daring--he was daring her to push him back.

But she didn't.

The fact that she liked when he dipped her and ran his chilly hand up her bare arms and up her leg, under the slit of her dress... and ohhh.

She almost moaned and he went behind her and pressed her back against his hard chest and she was closing her eyes and letting her head fall on his shoulder as he guided her by placing his hand on her hip firmly and reassuringly.

"Sure you've never danced before?" he purred.

And all she could do was shake her head because any words that would come out of her mouth would be sounding like ohhh's and ahhh's and she was sure this crowd could not deal with it... hell, she didn't know if she was prepared to hear herself say that.

Then the music slowed and they were gently swaying, his hand traveling up her back and losing itself in her hair, until his fingers were caressing the base of her neck.

She didn't notice how his leg came up and made her loose her balance so she completely being held by him... and those arms and that scent.

The scent of a man.

She inhaled it as if it was her last breath on earth and then the music got rough again, making him pull her against him. Bodies touching, naughty bodies.

And his cheek rested against hers once more, but she pulled back as she knew the song was ending--this was ending and she wanted to scream for it to never ever end.

Looking at her he leaned in.

Her entire body froze in place as she prepared herself to be kissed and humiliated in front of everyone but she really could care less.

But as her eyes drifted close the kiss never came. "Thank you," he whispered.

Slowly he disentangled himself from her and grinned, faced the room and bowed, making her bow with him.

The room exploded in applause.

"For someone who's never dances Tango I am sure you dance very well in _other_ ways," he smirked and led her to her husband.

She was red, she was sure of it as people came up to her and congratulated her on her amazing performance which she had no clue how she pulled it off it wasn't for the Lord...

She looked back at him who was now at his wife's side, smiling happily, holding her hand.

She sighed and smiled forcedly when her husband came to view.

Jack was grinning like a madman. "You were amazing, Buffy."

She tried really hard--with all she had not to pull away as he wrapped his arms around her waist--his heat scorching her.

"You have him under your paw," he muttered in to her ear with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

Looking back at Lord Perling she wondered who exactly was underneath who's paw?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'll be heading home..." she told him.

When he looked at her he could see the sadness in her eyes. "Fadma..."

"No--you've found her, Zeru. She's the one you love, and though she does not know it's you, tonight she loved the man with the mask, I am sure she'll have no problem loving the one under it." she smiled and whispered. "I know I have." Locking eyes she leaned up, placing her rosy lips against his.

He sighed and kissed her back, quickly and almost lovingly. When he pulled back there were tear tracks down her face and he brushed them again.

"I'm going to pack my things..."

"Stay for a few days," he pleaded. "Not because of this whole 'wife' issue.. but because of me. Because you do now I care for you."

She shook her head. "I'll not be waiting around to get your crumbs," she told him in Arabic.

He nodded understanding her more than she knew then hugged her against him, relishing the way she smelled and treasuring her friendship.

From far away Buffy watched the couple, locked in a lover's embrace.

She was a fool.

The were standing in the private balcony, her dark skin against his pale one lighting the night.

She sighed.

She remembered what is was like to be in love. Good for them, she thought.

"Mrs. Marshall!"

She was sprung out of her daydream to the French voice calling her name.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he rushed back inside she had already left.

'Family Emergency' was whispered in the crowds and he groaned.

Scooby meeting? He chuckled internally and motioned for Lugo to bring around his limo.

On his way to the entrance he ran into Jack and grinned. "Mr. Marshall--would it be possible for us to meet later this week, privately--I'd like to make a sort of contribution to your campaign... that is if it's alright with you?"

Jack smiled from ear to ear. "Of course, Lord Perling!"

"Grand, I'll have my secretary call yours this week," Spike smiled eagerly anticipating this meeting.

"Great, M'lord--have an enjoyable evening," Jack smiled, almost jumping on the balls of his feet.

Spike nodded and did a curt bow before exiting the mansion.

"How was the party, Zeru?" Lugo asked him as he opened the door to the limousine.

"Boring, what else?"

Lugo cleared his throat. "Did you see her, Zeru?"

Spike took off his mask and nodded then closed the door.

Lugo smiled and went around the car.

Spike studied the outside scenery of the early morning in L.A.

Still pitch black, still deadly.

He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head on the seat cushion as he smiled.

Just being around her was killing him. He wanted desperately take his mask off and announce who he was --to see the look in her eyes. But no--the plan had to work and he wouldn't ruin it with his desperation.

When he opened his eyes again and looked out the window his eyes went wide.

There, in the alleys of one of the streets a little boy was grabbed by two men and pushed further into the alley as he screamed.

"Stop the car," he shouted to the driver.

The driver did as he was asked and Spike quickly jumped out of the limousine, running into the alley.

He didn't bother to ask himself why exactly he was bothering but the fact that he was just a little boy irked him.

When he found the alley the two were laughing as the little boy cried when they grabbed his glasses and threw them on the ground, stomping on them.

The other grabbed him, making the boy stumble on the wet ground.

Before the man could grab him again Spike took his arms and twisted it behind his back, making the man cry out when it popped out of place.

"You son of a bitch!" he cried.

"I could say the same thing for you, mate," Spike smirked and punched him, knocking him out cold.

The other man had the little boy's book bag in his hand.

"Hand him his bag and get out of 'ere before I take care of any protruding parts of your body," he sneered.

The man shook slightly but stood his ground. "Fuck off, man--he's our kid."

Spike nodded then smiled, bringing forth his game face.

The man paled as he saw white fangs shinning in the nights. He dropped the book bag and ran out of the alley.

Spike chuckled then picked up the book bag, and turned to look at the boy.

The little boy was wiping his tears, blond hair getting in his eyes. "This yours, bitty bad?"

Blue eyes looked back up at him and he nodded. Spike crouched in front of him and handed him over his bag.

A little hand went out and grabbed it, quickly opening it up and pulling a stuffed toy out of it. He hugged it to him and buried his face in it.

"What are you doing out 'ere by yourself?" Spike asked him.

"Looking for my mom," he whispered.

"Is she lost?" Spike asked him.

The boy nodded and peeked up at him. "You're a vampire."

Spike was taken back as he realized he was still in game face, he quickly shook it off. "You're not afraid?"

The boy smiled shyly and shook his head.

Spike couldn't pin-point it but there was something extremely familiar about this little guy.

"Tell me, mate--what's your name?"

The boy looked down at his pig, unsure of himself.

"I wont hurt you--gonna help you find your mum--I lost mine too a long time ago," he smiled.

"William... William Marshall, sir."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....

(hehe)


	17. Like Father

**Like Father** -- part 15 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to Creed's_ With Arms Wide Opened_.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I know a lot of you are waiting for Spike to kill Jack but I think William should be first to meet his father therefore I gave him first shot. *g*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Well I just heard the news today   
It seems my life is going to change   
I closed my eyes, begin to pray   
Then tears of joy stream down my face   
With arms wide open   
Under the sunlight_

Buffy dashed into the house, almost tripping on her heels to find Giles sitting at the floor of the stairs with his head in his hands.

"Giles!"

His head snapped up to look at her. She was pale and worry was written all over her face.

"What happened?" she cried.

He slowly took the letter from his pocket, the same letter he had read over and over again since he found it on William's bed.

She quickly took the paper, with trembling hands.

As she read it a small sob escaped her mouth and she brought her manicured hand up to prevent herself from bawling all over the place.

"Oh god!" she whispered, almost hastily. "Why... how..."

"I guess he tried to wake me," Giles said silently.

Buffy was shivering, suddenly the night wasn't as damp and hot as it had seemed. She met her ex-watcher's eyes.

"He's only a baby, Giles..."

Giles nodded. "I know, the police are out there, right now."

Buffy pulled on her resolve face. "I have to do something," she started up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Giles asked after her.

"I'm changing, my baby is out there all alone in the streets of Los Angeles--anything...things that I don't even want to think about can happen to him... I need to find him... he needs his mom," she said, breathing in deeply before she started loosing her nerve.

"Buffy!" Giles cried after her, going up the stairs himself. "The police are already looking for him."

"He's not their child--he's mine!" she hissed and entered her bedroom with the Englishman trailing behind her.

"You're no longer the Slayer, Buffy--let the proper authorities handle this!"

She froze and looked at him, little ice pixels in her eyes. "This is not the job of a Slayer, Giles--it's the job of a mother."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Welcome to this place   
I'll show you everything   
With arms wide open   
Well I don't know if I'm ready   
To be the man I have to be_

Spike blinked at the little boy before him.

"You're who?"

William arched his small eyebrow at Spike. "I know you."

"You do?" Spike was now beyond confused.

"You're Spike!" William grinned at him.

Spike froze. "Who told you that?"

A small little hand reached out to touch his beard. "You have a berd."

"Beard," Spike corrected him then smiled.

"You talk like him... and your hair's not white." William cocked his head to the side. "I knew you were coming, the old man told me in my dreams."

Spike sighed. "Is the entire bloody child population dreamin' 'bout me then?"

William grinned. "My mommy loves you."

Spike's face softened. "She does, does she?"

William nodded.

"Does she talk about me?"

"Sometimes... sometimes she's just sad but I know she's thinking 'bout you." William looked down at his bag and pulled a blankie out. "Smell!" he demanded.

Spike looked at the child quizzically and leaned in to smell the material.

His pores filled with different senses.

He could smell Buffy, the young boy... and himself in it.

"Where did you get this?" Spike asked him.

"It was mommy's blanket and she gave it to me when I was scared at night... like tonight," he frowned.

"What does your 'da think of this development... your mom and a dead man's blanket?" Spike grinned.

"He's not my dad... you are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike gulped.

Took a deep breath.

Then looked at the child's eyes.

He knew those eyes.

They were his eyes.

And his cheeks... and his hair... and how the hell was this possible?

"What?" he asked, although he already knew the answer. "How did this happen?"

William looked around, unsure... maybe a little rejected... he didn't think Spike would act that way.

"I dunno...mommy said babies come from the sea, do you think babies come from the sea?"

Spike looked down to the ground... before he fainted and saw William's crushed glasses. He had the same when he was a little chap...

He picked them up.

"They broke," William stated, solemnly.

"I'll get you a new pair, ok, no one's going to be mad," Spike looked at him.

William had tears about to spill from his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Spike asked, panicked. He didn't know how to deal with a child.

William burst out sobbing, and hiccupping and Spike stood there, not knowing what to do. "There, there, 'tike..."

That only made William cry harder. "You don't want me," he sobbed.

Spike's mouth just hung opened and then he tentatively wrapped his arms around the small body before him. "What's that talk?"

But when his skin touched the little boy's he just knew... like a current and he instinctively picked him up in arms and hugged him against his body.

William curled up on Spike and whimpered against his chest.

Spike sighed... it was the most amazing experience he had ever felt, he felt all mushy and soft and happy it was ridiculous yet perfectly normal.

He held William closer, and closer until he sobbed along with the little boy.

"I'm sorry, dad," William murmured.

"No sorries, get that, bitty bad?" he asked him, pulling him away to look at his face. "M'not leaving you again, get that?"

William nodded eagerly.

"Has he ever 'urt you, or your mom?" Spike asked him.

"He's mean... and he's never home... sometimes mom cries, but she says she was reading a sad book but mom doesn't read."

Spike nodded, his anger for Jack Marshalls rising. "I'm going to take care of everything, ok--we're going to be a family and no one is taking that away, got it?"

William nodded again. "Got it."

Spike smiled softly at him... his son... he was one lucky bastard. He leaned in and kissed William's forehead. William sighed and rested his small head on Spike shoulder.

Spike leaned down and picked up his book bag and carried him and Mr. Gordo to the limousine.

_I'll take a breath, take her by my side   
We stand in awe, we've created life   
With arms wide open Under the sunlight   
Welcome to this place I'll show you everything_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike looked down at the tousled blond head, resting on his chest. "You hungry?"

Blue eyes looked back up at him and nodded.

"What would you like to eat?" Spike asked, he was sure that Bourbon and cigarettes were not going to do for William.

William thought for a moment and then grinned, brightly. "Happy Meal!"

Spike choked. "What?" he asked, startled.

"Nuggets and French fries!" he said happily.

"Oh," Spike chuckled. "Of course... off to clown land we go." He touched the beep on the side of his door. "Jake, do you know any McDonalds opened 24/7?"

The driver nodded. "Yeah, there's one about fifteen minutes from here."

"That's where we're going," Spike told him.

"Will you go down the slide with me? Mom always does it," William looked at him, innocently.

Spike groaned. "Fine... no body better see me or there goes my reputation."

William giggle. "Yey! MickeyD's!"

Fifteen minutes later Spike was standing before a young teenager who was chewing her gum loudly and waiting impatiently for him to order.

"Humm... a happy meal?" he looked down at William who was standing on his tip-toes, trying to look over the counter. Spike picked him up and sat him on it.

"Nuggets!"

"Happy meal with nuggets... and fries--"

"It comes with it," the girl told him, she looked extremely bored.

Spike took a calming breath. "Right, the meal thing."

"I want Piglet!" William announced.

Spike leaned in to look at the girl. "Can you make sure we get the pig?"

She blew a bubble. "We ran out of Piglet. We have... the donkey, Eoore."

William frowned and looked as if he was about to cry. "I want Piglet."

"Is there any way you can get me the pig, before the kid starts crying?" Spike asked desperately.

"No, if I were to call in a favor to all the kids that want the pig I'd be fired," she snapped at him.

Spike growled. "Get your ass back there and find a damn pig!"

The girl's eyes widened when his eyes twinkled yellow and she scurried off.

Spike sighed and ran his hand through his hair. This parenting business was something else. Harassing the fast food staff and going down slides.

William was looking at him with wide eyes.

"You're getting the pig," Spike told him.

"You said a popoo word," William told him, his eyes wide in wonderment. His dad was super cool.

"I did?" Spike asked confused.

"Mommy says never to say those words."

_Shit_, Spike scolded himself. "Only grownups can say those."

"When am I going to be a grown up?" William asked him, playing with the strings of his small boots.

"When you're 18 and even then we'll have talks." Spike told him and smiled when the girl came back with a wrapped Piglet.

"There you are, sir," she said nervously.

Spike smiled and yanked the toy from her. "Now I'm a satisfied customer."

He ripped the toy out of the plastic bag and handed it to William who happily accepted it. He had many things to tell his mom when he got back him. She had never fought to get him the toy he wanted.

"And the meal," the girl said, taking Spike's money and giving him back his change.

Spike picked up William with one arm and his happy meal on his other hand and dreadfully headed towards the playground. He idly wondered why the tike wouldn't be asleep at this hour of the night.

_With arms wide open   
Now everything has changed   
I'll show you love I'll show you everything   
With arms wide open_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Anything?" Buffy asked rather desperately as she walked into her home. She had been out searching for hours.

Giles looked grim, Jack stood next to him--although he looked troubled he really didn't look worried.

"Buffy... you need to sit down," Giles told her gently.

Her guts were twisting inside like a bunch of tossed spaghetti.

"Just say it, Giles--you know I can take it!" she cried, nervous as a leaf.

From behind him Jack pulled a pair of smashed glasses. Small little glasses that she recognized.

"The police found this in an alley downtown," he told her softly. He shrugged as she gaped at the pair. "I'm sorry, Buffy. The police will continue looking--"

"No! You should be looking!" she spit at him. "If we hadn't gone to that stupid ball your son wouldn't be missing at the moment!"

"Don't blame this on me, you bitch--I saw you having quite a good time tonight, rubbing yourself all over Mr. Big Bucks!" he yelled back at her.

Her eyes widened in horror and shame at being addressed that way in front of Giles. Giles' eyes narrowed at Jack.

"This is resolving nothing!" he told the younger man.

Jack snapped his neck at the English man. "Stay out of this, old man--this is family business!"

Giles took off his glasses and walked to the man's face. "She is my family--as is William. And don't you ever talk to her like that again, you little prick."

Jack studied the man before, almost transformed before his eyes. Then he grinned. "Alright then--your family. Then you stay up with her until they find the brat. I'm going to bed--I have a busy day tomorrow and can't be bothered by kids who need attention."

He walked up the stairs and left Buffy and Giles.

Buffy clutching the small glasses in her hand and Giles glared at the man.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Giles," she said softly. Giles took a deep breath and placed his glasses back on.

"How long have you been having trouble with your marriage?" he asked her gently. Buffy sagged to the foot of the stairs, bringing the small glasses to her chest.

"Between the time he would never come home at night and the 365 days of the year that he ignores William," she said softly.

Giles clenched his jaw and sat next to her.

"I told him once that it was over and I wanted to leave...we haven't even slept in the same room since... god, I can't remember..." she took a deep breath. "If Spike were here he'd be out searching for his son until he found him."

"But he's not Spike," Giles reminded her.

"Yes... he's not Spike..." she looked at her watcher. "If I loose my son I loose everything I had left of Spike... of us... Dawn's gone, she has her own life. Willow and Xander have their families and so does Angel... William is my life, Giles--in a few weeks you'll be going off to England and I'll be on my own again."

Giles looked down at his shoes.

"I know he's still alive, Giles--I feel him... but not knowing where he's at is killing me."

"Take a bath," she started shaking her head but he continued. "I'll continue to call the authorities--I wager they'll find him before you get out of the shower."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_If I had just one wish   
Only one demand   
I hope he's not like me   
I hope he understands   
That he can take this life   
And hold it by the hand   
And he can greet the world   
With arms wide open..._

"Ok, time for you to head home--you're mum must be dead worried," Spike told an exhausted William.

"I miss mommy," he said softly, now playing with Piglet.

"But you remember our deal, right?" Spike asked him, sticking the crayons back in their box as they sat in the McDonald's playground.

"No telling mommy who you are--like a secret," William yawned.

"C'mon," Spike said and lifted him easily up, picking up all the crayons and coloring books he had bought him along with Piglet.

Before he reached the limousine William was completely asleep in his arms.

"We're here, sir," the driver told Spike as they pulled up to the large house where Buffy resided with her husband.

Lugo went around the car and opened the door for him, grabbing William's things as Spike carefully got out, trying not to wake his son.

William murmured in his sleep but had a satisfied smile on his face as his father carried him up the stairs.

Ringing the door bell he waited, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Any moment now Buffy would be coming down the stairs.

He heard some shuffling behind the door and finally it opened.

It took everything that he had learned all this time to not show the shock at Giles opening the door.

"William!" he cried, half relief half surprise.

"Evening, sir," Spike smiled and looked down at his sleeping child. "I found him a few hours ago--I'm friends with Mr. Marshall."

"Giles!" Spike heard Buffy call from upstairs.

"He's here, Buffy!" Giles screamed at her.

Instantly you could heard footsteps running down the stairs until a bathrobe clad Buffy ran to the door. She screamed when she saw William asleep, thinking he was dead.

"Oh god!"

"He's just sleeping," Spike told her to calm her down. But her hands were everywhere as she pushed Giles out of the way and snagged a stunned and confused William out of Spike's arms.

"William, oh my god, William!" she kissed and hugged him and sank to the floor crying and holding him, making sure he was ok.

William was beyond confused and started to cry.

"Are you hurt? Why did you so this? You could've died! Something could've happened to you!" she babbled on.

William simply whimpered and Buffy held his face to her neck. She took a deep breath and held him close, smelling his hair and reassuring herself that he was ok.

"My baby, oh god! You're ok, mommy's got you now," she shushed him.

Spike gulped back the need to wrap his arms around them both but he simply crouched down and extended William's book bag to a teary Giles.

"I found him sometime ago... but he was hungry--"

Buffy finally seemed to have noticed him and gasped as she saw who is was. "Lord Perling!"

Spike grinned and looked down. "He was about to be attacked in an alley and I found him--there's no worries. He ate and I got him some things to calm him down--he seemed to be on a hunt for you."

She smiled through tears. "Thank you so much--I owe you everything I have."

Spike gulped again.

"Is he home?"

Spike looked up and saw Dawn.

All grown up in her college jeans and small tee.

"Yes, Dawn--he's ok!" Giles told her.

Dawn quickly ran and crouched with Buffy. William lifted his head to look at his aunt. "Where did you go?"

William yawned. "I went to look for mommy... but Mr. Pearl found me."

"Perling, darling," Buffy corrected and smiled at Spike, apologetically.

Dawn sighed in relief and took him from Buffy's arms. "I'm going to start his bath, Buffy." She smiled at Spike. "Thank you."

Spike nodded and watched as Buffy kissed William forehead and watched Dawn take him upstairs.

"I'll interrupt you no further. A pleasure meeting you, sir," Spike bowed slightly at Giles and Giles smiled, quite pleased with the young Lord.

"Anything you need you can always come here, M'lord." he told him.

"I would appreciate seeing William again--he's quite charming," Spike smiled, keeping his accent and poise at check.

Buffy suddenly threw herself on him and hugged him. He stood stock still, not knowing what to do. "Anything you need, simply ask."

"My god, Buffy!"

Buffy jumped off Spike and turned to see Jack in his night cloak coming down the stairs.

"They found him?" Jack asked worriedly. Giles's eyes narrowed at the fake emotions.

"Yes, Jack--Lord Perling found him." Buffy told her husband annoyed.

Jack's eyes lit up. "We were so worried, M'Lord--we owe you everything," he stood next to Buffy and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, looking very much like the worried parent.

Spike narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure you were."

"We're all very close, you see--I don't know what I would do without William---he's..."

"Well I have to be going," Spike interrupted him before he would get any sicker to his stomach.

"Of course!" Buffy said quickly, embarrassed that they had kept him that long.

"Would you like to stay, M'Lord? We could make some tea--" Jack persuaded him.

"No--I really must be on my way. Have a good night," he turned and walked down the steps to the waiting limo.

Jack grinned. "We have the luck of the gods! Out of all the people to find William, he did! This is marvelous, this money is mine for sure!"

Buffy snapped to look at him. "And he looked more worried about our son that you did!"

"I told you he would turn up, my darling wife!" Jack grinned and murmured happy songs to himself as he gingerly went up the stairs.

Buffy sighed and looked at Giles.

"Is there any way I can persuade you to get on a plane to England tomorrow--you and William far away from here?"

Buffy smiled and shook her head. "Maybe in a few years."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn was drying William off when they both heard the motor of the limo when it turned on.

William leaned out to the window and smiled. "Bye Spike!" he waved.

Dawn stopped what she was doing and froze. She looked at him. "What did you say?"

William instantly caught himself. "Oh poop." He bit his lip.

Dawn's mind worked quickly as she remembered what 'Lord Perling' looked like and then it instantly clicked.

She looked out the window as gasped as she saw none other than Lugo closing the door and walking around the car.

"Ricardo..." she murmured, remembering.

_"I didn't mean to frighten you..."_

_"Why are you following me?" she demanded, her eyes sparkling._

_"I was sent to protect you," he said, smiling a bit._

"Spike..." she whispered. "Spike's alive?"

"We can't tell mommy--he made me promise," William pleaded, he was in the verge of tears at not being able to keep a secret.

"He told you not to tell?" She asked him.

William nodded.

Dawn's eyes narrowed.

"We'll keep this our secret, ok?" she asked him. "But Aunty Dawn is going to have a _talk_ with a very naughty vampire."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....


	18. Unmasking

**Unmasking**--part 16 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Yes, in case you didn't notice Dawn/Lugo are a minor couple *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I still don't see why you can't tell her the truth, Zeru--she's missing you and all!" Lugo followed Spike around the mansion, taking his coat as he tossed it about, yanking his bow tie. "You have a family--a little kid and I can't believe you're going to let Jack keep your family!"

"What makes you think that I'm going to let Jack keep my family?" Spike snapped at him as he took off his shoes.

"You're leaving her there, after the kid told you he's not happy!" Lugo argued.

"You think I like leaving him there? With Buffy--when I can see sadness coming from her eyes?" Spike roared.

Lugo stood his ground. "But you did--what's stopping you from taking her out of there? Pride? I say screw pride and do what you have to do!"

"I am doing what I have to do--"

"And that would be what?"

Both men snapped and looked stunned as a poised Dawn who was standing in Spike's study with her hands on her hips.

"Dawn." they both said at the same time.

She glared at Spike. "So when exactly where you going to tell us you were back... or alive for that matter?"

Spike gaped at Dawn--she was definitely not the young teen he remembered.

"How did you get in here?" Lugo asked her. She glared at him.

"Up the window, I followed the limo," she snapped back.

Spike smiled. "How are you, nibblet?"

Dawn flushed. "I'm not your nibblet, Spike... you've been dead for 6 years... I grew up."

"Well, technically I've been dead for--"

"Don't get smart with me--where the hell have you been?" she cried, her arms falling about as she paced the room, her curls bouncing as she walked. "I mean... we buried you... or ashes we thought were you. And William... and Buffy--"

"I didn't have a choice!" Spike told her.

"A choice of what? To trim or not to trim?" her eyes were blazing.

"No.. I mean--you have no idea what we've been through!" now there were tears in her eyes.

"And are you even going to tell Buffy?"

There was silence in the room as Spike look down and Dawn's eyes didn't leave his face. "When the time was right."

"Right, because a few more days thinking you're dead won't hurt her!"

Spike sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I thought you loved her... everyone thought so... was it just a lie?" she asked him, walking in front of him.

Spike's eyes finally met her and she gasped. There was pain in those eyes--raw pain.

"Where have you been?" she whispered to him.

"I..." he gulped. "That night... I was imprisoned... in the Island of Galleno, I was there for years. I found out there that Buffy was dead... but of course it wasn't true, so I didn't want to come back to a Slayer-less Sunnydale..." he whispered. "It hurt too much."

Thick tears flowed down Dawn's face and she threw herself in his arms. He held her tight for dear life and Lugo thought it best to walk out of the room.

She sobbed against his chest. "We've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Nibblet," he told her back.

She laughed against his shoulder. "I'm 21, Spike--Buffy's age when you 'died'."

"I know... but you'll always be 'lil bit to me," he smiled and kissed the top of her head like he had done many times that summer when Buffy had died.

She pulled back to look at him. "And what's with the beard? she made a face.

Spike smiled and ran his hand through his beard. "Undercover shit."

Dawn smiled. "Loose it and soon."

They both laughed.

"C'mon--I'm starving... and we have some catching up to do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy padded down the hall after she had made sure Giles had everything he needed and had told Dawn to be careful on her drive to campus.

Her sister seemed anxious and fidgety for some reason or another.

She shrugged--probably that new guy she was all excited about. She sighed--remembering what it was like to be all giddy about a guy.

She glared at Jack's room as she passed it--she really didn't know how long she could take anything from him.

But that was the last thing on her mind as she slipped quietly into William's room.

He was one little ball of blankets, curling up against the coldness of the room.

She looked at him for a second, all sweet and innocent and with an angelic smile on his face.

She slipped into his large bed and he woke up.

"Mommy?"

"Shh, baby--go back to sleep," she whispered as she brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead.

"Are you scared, mommy?" he asked, yawning.

"Yup, I need you to keep me safe," she smiled at him and he curled his arms and legs around her.

"I'll keep you safe, mommy," he said as his eyes dozed off.

"Did you have fun with Lord Perling?" she asked him.

His eyes instantly opened and she could see the shine in them. "He took me to McDonalds! And he told the lady in the counter to get me a Piglet! Then he went down the slide with me and colored pictures of Pooh!"

Buffy chuckled. "He did, did he?"

"He's the bestest!"

"The best, my love." she corrected him.

"And he said he would buy me new glasses!" William smiled.

"He did?" Buffy asked, confused.

"Yup--I like him, he fought the bad guys and saved me!"

"He fought?" she asked him.

"Yup! All brave--like a Prince!" he smiled then curled himself up on her.

She sighed when she heard his breathing go steady, telling her he was dead to the world.

_Lord Perling_, she thought. There was something about him... something familiar yet foreign at the same time. Something that told her he was more than what met the eye...something that told her he was great in bed...wait--he's a married man and she's a semi-married woman!

She shook her head at her internal turmoil.

Bad Buffy.

Very bad Buffy.

.....she bet he had an amazing body--actually she knew he had an amazing body, she felt it when he pressed her against his chest.

And no those eyes... so very blue so soft and caring and he loved William....

He was married. To princess whatever from the desert.

She frowned.

They looked in love.

...they were in love.

She wondered what love felt like and what it would feel to go to sleep in arms that loved you.

Next to her William stirred.

He was her love now.

She held him closer but couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to go to bed each night with a person that loved you intimately and you loved them back.

To think about it--to really think about it she had never felt that love with Jack.

She's only felt like that twice in her life.

Once with Angel when she was very young... that seemed like eons ago.

And then with Spike.

She sighed.

If she shaved Lord Perling's beard and gave him an accent, dressed him in leather...yumm, Lord Perling in leather.

She seriously had to stop this.

Married.

Him.

You.

Married.

No Tango fantasies.

Nope.

Not one.

Not one at all.

....she really would bet money that he had an awesome body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn smiled at Spike and he grinned back, a bit amused at the childish behavior she had taken with him, kicking her feet while she munched happily on the sandwich and drinking strawberry milk.

"I feel like I'm 15 again," she blushed, realizing her behavior.

Spike took a sip from his mug of blood and nodded. "As obviously you're not."

She sighed. "I'm so glad you're back... I mean I didn't think you would be back, after all Jack told us you were dust--Riley confirmed it."

Spike's eyes narrowed. "So Capt. America knew 'bout it?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, him and Jack are good friends, well they were before Jack retired from the services and went after his father's previous role."

Spike snorted. "Congressman Marshall."

"He's... he's not what he seemed like when we first met him. I know he doesn't make Buffy happy. That's why this is great! Now you're here and you can save her from unhappily ever after," she said, excitedly.

Spike's face bore a frown when she said this. "I'm not here to save anyone, Dawn."

"What about William?" then she gasped. "I mean... Buffy better tell you--"

"I know he's my son," Spike interrupted her.

Dawn's eyes were wide as saucers.

"I don't know how the hell it happened and from the looks of it neither does anyone else but it did, and he's something I'm not walking away from," Spike told her, looking out the kitchen window into the lightening sky.

"How do you know? No one knows," Dawn placed down her milk, suddenly losing the taste for strawberry milk.

"William knows, or he knew the moment we met. And I... I could feel this pull, can't describe it." He sighed and ran his hand through the itchy beard. He couldn't wait to shave.

"You seem so changed... time changes things and complicates them so much," she whispered, coming up behind him.

"Or makes them simpler," he snapped and started pacing.

This is the Spike she knew, moody and the next moment thinking irrationally. She had to smile at the irony.

"Simpler? Lost and floating," she commented.

"She..." he said, trying to find the right words. "I mean, how long was I gone before she threw herself into Mr. Dashing's arms?"

He looked at her, confusion, pain, and desperation shining in his eyes.

She now knew what hurt him the most.

Buffy forgetting--in his view, it was well known, even to Jack, that Buffy never forgot Spike and was probably dreaming of him at the moment.

"I don't think she ever threw herself in his arms... more like he caught her while she fell." she explained, lamely.

"Buffy is not the fainting type," he reminded her.

"She is when the love of her life suddenly is accidentally killed and a week later she finds out she's pregnant--Giles wasn't here. Xander and his whole Anya trauma was taking over his life. Willow was finding Tara once more and then were did we stand? You were what she had, and suddenly it was gone, disappeared. He came in with his white horse and swept her off her feet with his shiny soul and his smile and his promises of not judging her against her 'one night stand' with the baby's father."

"One night stand?" Spike asked, almost flabbergasted.

"We had to explain William," Dawn told him. "Though now it doesn't sound like a good idea... but imagine if the council found out? A Slayer having a vampire's son?"

Spike clenched his jaw, pacing once more the expanse of the kitchen. "I wanted to come home so bad... but then I got the news that she was...and I just lost everything, I lost hope, I lost life, I lost myself." He was quiet for a while. "I've been trying to find him myself ever since."

"We'll help, as long as you come clean to Buffy, Spike--she needs you, perhaps more than ever. William keeps having these dreams and we think he's part of some prophesy and she's no longer the Slayer. She might know her moves but she's not super-girl anymore." she looked down at her feet. "And I think her relationship with Jack is getting... darker."

"Darker?" he asked, almost sick to his stomach.

"They're very vocal about not loving each other anymore--or ever for that matter," she said quietly. "And one night... I stayed over for a long weekend and..." she gulped. "They were fighting in the room and the screams were just... it was just like mom and dad." she looked at him. "He loses his temper and one day I'm afraid he might..." she looked around uncomfortable. "That he might do something rash."

"If he hurts her I'll kill him... no wait, I'm still killing him," Spike growled.

"He's much more powerful than what you think," she told him, touching his forearm lightly.

"No--I'm more powerful than what he thinks, or anyone." Spike said to her. "I know why William has dreams and I know where this is all leading."

"You do?" she asked confused.

Spike looked out to the sky--the sun would be out soon. "Go home now, 'bit--I'll take care of everything."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He watched as Dawn got into the car and Lugo close the door for her, he walked to the other side of the SUV and drove off.

He felt ... weird.

And unexplicable feeling settled over him as he watched them drive off but he brushed it aside.

He looked at his liquor cabinet and took out his most rare bottle of Bourbon.

$300 bucks a glass. He had bought a box of 25 bottles.

He took seat in his dark room, glass filled to the top as he watched the sunlight enter the room through the opened curtains. Now he was stuck watching the sun from the shadows once more.

He remembered all those years on the island as he bathed in the warmth of the sun.

It was the closest to Buffy he had ever been.

Now he was so close yet so far away it was nerve racking.

He picked up the phone next to him and dialed 52.

Jemina, the house maid that was there five days a week picked up the phone. "Good morning Mr. Perling."

"I'm going to need the number of an eye glass store that features good children's glasses."

He could almost sense the puzzlement in her tone. "Just get me the number, I'll do the rest."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn yawned as they got out of the gates. "Haven't slept much?" Lugo asked, next to her, looking at her from the corner of his eyes and smiling.

"Why didn't you tell me who had sent you?" she asked him, a bit defensive.

He smiled. "I was told not to."

"Do you always do what Spike says?" she asked him, picking up his CD collection and reading over them.

"I owe Zeru my life," he told her, camly.

"Why do you call him Zeru?" she asked, curiously.

"He must've not told you about the prophesy--he's the chosen one. The one to bring end to suffering. Him and his son."

"Spike's in a prophesy?" she asked, almost amazed.

"Yes, he's very powerful and noble," he's done much good.

"Spike is a vampire, you know that--right?" she asked him and he laughed.

"Of course I now, but he saved my life instead of taking it, for that I owe him everything," he said quietly as they pulled to a red light.

"How did he save it?"

"I was a slave, he won me and set me free. My life changed from that moment," he explained it to her, glancing at her, almost unsure of how she would take that news.

"You were a slave?" Dawn asked, almost horrified. He nodded.

"Here, look," he said and without warning he leaned forward and pulled the back of his t-shirt up revealing along his muscular back thick scars of whips and lashes.

Dawn gasped and tentatively leaned in to touch them. "Oh god..."

He looked down at her as she looked horrified at what had been done to him. "I was trying to save my sister... I was young and foolish."

Liquid blue eyes looked up to him. "What were they doing to her?"

He looked away and gulped. "One of the patrons took a fancy to her, she is very beautiful, my sister is." Suddenly he didn't look as young anymore, more like dark and troubled. "I couldn't stand to hear as she screamed as she was dragged into the private room... so I did what any brother would do... I killed the guards and the patron."

Dawn looked at her, grief stricken. "You killed them..."

"I did... I can still hear her at times begging me not to hurt them, she knew what would happen."

"Why didn't they just kill you?"

"Death is the easy way out in life, don't you think Dawn Summers?" he gave her a small smile.

The entire moment was broken as car horns were heard and Lugo realized that he had been oggling at her for some time.

She blushesd, realizing she had done the same.

"So I spent many months in a dungeon... didn't see the sun for days and days, until I forgot what it looked like. It was there that I grew up." he loked at her as he turned into her dorms. "We grow up in our darkest times, don't we?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes we do."

He parked the SUV. "Home sweet home."

She looked out the window, as if realizing for the first time she was actually in a car. "Right...thanks," she looked at him. "For the flowers, that is."

Lugo went pale. "I... well.. you see--"

But he was cut off when a very amazed Dawn leaned in and kissed his lips.

His eyes went wide, not knowing whether to move or to stay still. But the kiss was short and sweet as she pulled back.

She saw the shocked and completely dreamy look on his face and chuckled. "I don't usually do that," she whispered.

Lugo looked at her her in wonderment. "I'm glad you made an exception."

She laughed. "Maybe I'll make another."

He smiled at her. "Will this happen everytime I buy you flowers?"

"Maybe...maybe next time it'll take more," with that she got out of the car, grinned at him over her shoulder and walked to her dorm.

Lugo watched her walk away with a smile plastered on his face that he was sure would last for days...weeks...months even.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy graoned as she stretched. Her back was killing her.

She hissed as she stepped over one of William's toys in his room where she had slept that night. Toys were everywhere.

Hearing voices outside she quickly left the room and closed the door so William could sleep a bit more after the long night he'd had.

She could hear Jack chatting very happily and loudly with someone on the phone. She decided to ignore him and go the bathroom...until she heard him say something about Lord Perling.

She quickly walked out the bathroom and went to his room. He was already dressed and putting the finishing touches on his red tie.

"Right, I'll see you then," he hung up when he saw her.

"What's going on?" she asked him, still quite upset about last night.

He smiled at himself in the mirror as his tie was perfected. "We're having a dinner party here tomorrow night, we're inviting Lord Perling over--he seems quite taken with Jacob--"

"William," she glared at him.

He chuckled. "We're going to have him over. I want you to buy the skimpiest dress out there--"

"He's married, Jack! I'm married! I know it doesn't seem like it but we are! And I'm not playing whore for you!" she cried, glaring at him.

"Fine! It doesn't matter what you wear he thought you looked good in your nightgown and bawling like a hysterical bitch!"

She slapped him, growling at him. "My son was lost--the son you've seen grown up and I can't beleive you have no emotion for him at all--you're an asshole!"

He glared at her and straightened his tie walking around her. "But we knew that," he smirked. "Call him personally today I want a gurantee he'll be here."

She glared at his retreating back as he waltzed out of the room humming some happy-dee-do-dee song.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....


	19. The Little Things

**The Little Things --** part 17 of _Island of Galleno _

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics belong to Celine Dion, _Have You Ever? _and to Bif Naked, _Lucky Ones._

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: Ok, for those of you who have been waiting for 60,000 words for this happening--here it is *bg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fadma was setting down her coat that morning when she heard Spike's phone ringing--she was on her way back home, she was tired of the California atmosphere and couldn't wait to go back home, to Safi. Where everything was less complicated, everything was more friendly and heartache was so warm.

Seeing that the maid was not coming for it she picked it up.

"Perling residency," she said to the receiver.

"Humm... hi, is Lord Perling home?"

Fadma looked into the living room. "He should be, let me check--can I ask who's calling?"

"This is Buffy Sum--Marshall, Jack Marshall's wife."

Fadma sighed. "Oh, of course, Mrs. Marshall--"

"Is this Princess Perling?" Buffy asked, uncertainly.

Fadma groaned inside. "Yes it is, dear, how are you?"

"I'm great! I didn't need to talk to Lord Perling, I mean I did but it's okay if you know too, cause I mean you're invited--"

Fadma was a bit amused at Buffy's stuttering. "What exactly is it, Mrs. Marshall--is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine--peachy, marshmallow white."

Fadma arched her eyebrow.

"Fadma? Is that you, pet?"

Fadma quickly covered the receiver. "Shhh.."

Spike tied his bathrobe around his waist and stood in front of her and gave her a questioning look.

"I was just inviting you and your husband for a private dinner party in our residence, nothing big--just some close friends, you're both welcome to come," Buffy said quickly--hating talking to her.

"We would be delighted to attend, Mrs. Marshall--" Fadma looked pointedly at Spike. Spike's eyes widened and he was instantly fidgeting. "Although I do have a flight to Safi this afternoon so it might only be my husband attending--"

Spike looked at her with a look of plea. "Please," he mouthed.

"Oh, I see--" Buffy said disappointed...but not really.

Fadma sighed. "But I might be able to get a later flight, it's not an emergency--we'll see what happens," she smiled and nodded at Spike who smiled back in thanks and took her hand and kissed it.

"Great! Tomorrow night, then at 7:30, you need not bring anything, my husband insisted on it," Buffy said rather nervously.

"I'll see you then, Mrs. Marshall--thank you for the invitation." Fadma smiled and smoothly hung up the phone.

Spike let out a sigh of relief. "She seemed nervous?"

Fadma shook her head and walked to the living room. "She seemed rather disappointed I was coming, actually--what have you been up to?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy set down the phone with a trembling hand and took a deep breath. She was loosing it, completely loosing it, she hadn't felt like this ever in her life. Like she was doing something wrong--but with her mind and she couldn't stand her own thoughts. She ran her hand through her freshly washed hair and sunk back on her bed.

She missed the simple life when she was just the Slayer and there were vampires and she would stake vampires. Simple.

She was taken from her thoughts when a sleepy and freshly woken William padded into her room, his hair standing up in all sorts of places and piglet safely in his arms.

"Morning," she smiled at him.

He rubbed his eyes and climbed her tall bed with some difficulty and curled himself up in her arms. "'morning." he mumbled.

"You had a long day yesterday," she commented as she ran her hands through his hair in an attempt to calm it.

"Tired," he mumbled.

"Let's get you a bath, you have to help me--we're having a party here," she told him brightly.

He quickly sat up. "A party?"

"Yup!" she smiled and picked him up, walking to the bathroom.

"Is Lord Perling coming?" he asked curiously.

She looked at him weird. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

William smiled and wiggled out of her arms, walking to the sink and stepping on his mini-stool to brush his teeth. "I like him, he's cool."

She watched him brush his teeth, eyeing him skeptically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The words sunk is slowly to her. "So... she had your son."

Spike's face was one bright glowing light. "You have to see him, Fadma--he's so smart and he has things that I do and that she does, I mean--he has my eyes!"

She smiled kindly. "I'm glad for both of you, once this is all over you can be a family--the family you never thought you'd have with a woman whom you love unconditionally."

Spike smiled at her. "I love 'im--I was with him for less then three hours and I never wanted to let him go."

"Of course you do, he's flesh of your flesh, Zeru--he's a child of prophesy also. The one to carry on after you." she told him then stood up and sat closer to him. "That's why he has dreams, he knows he's special as do you. A child so small would've died in the streets of L.A. at that time of night, do you think it's coincidence that you found him? That he decided to run away that precise night? That Jake decided to take a short cut and go down those back alleys?" he looked at her very pensive, as if digesting everything she was saying. "No... Allah looked out for William, looked out for him and brought him to you."

Spike stood and started pacing. " I don't want him to be in a prophesy... he's just a baby."

"Babies grow up, Zeru. And the Slayer won't live forever."

He sharply looked at her, a sudden sense of desperation rushed through him. He could loose her any minute--not like he had her--but she was still alive.

"We have to work fast," he told her quickly, his hands shaking in anticipation.

"Calm down, we'll start with this dinner party she invited you to," Fadma told him, calmly.

"Right, the party--" Spike rambled. "You need to be there, hot dress and all."

She chuckled. "Don't worry about me, worry about you. I have a feeling that tomorrow night is the night."

Spike looked sadly. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_It was a Monday, when my lover told me,   
Never pay the reaper with love only.   
What could I say to you, except, I love you.   
And I'd give my life for yours._

"The wine?" she asked one of the caterers.

"All done, Mrs. Marshall," he told her.

"Are you sure everything is ready?" she asked, nervously.

He nodded.

"Good, I'm going to get ready, any questions, ask Dawn." she informed him.

She ran upstairs to make sure William was ready.

He was sitting by his drawing table very pissed off at her.

"I hate this shirt," he informed her.

She smiled and fixed his small tie. "You look handsome."

He did a semi-pout and semi-scowl. "Hate it!"

"Just make sure that you stay clean, the guests are arriving in about twenty minutes." she smiled back at a very upset William and walked to her room.

She had four dresses laid out in her bed.

One was dark blue, halter top style and a semi-full skirt.

The other was ivory, with much embroidery, completely body hugging with a too high slit on the side.

The third was black and plain, with a peasant top type and short flowy skirt.

The fourth one was gold, backless and tight.

She went with the ivory one. She didn't have to worry about her breasts popping out and into Lord Perling's plate... she had to stop her musings he was coming with his wife for Christ's sake!

With shaky fingers she slid on her dress and slipped into golden heels. She pinned her hair up, but then decided on letting it cascade down her back in golden curls. With golden eye shadow and pale lipstick she was ready to face the world.

On her way out she saw a small package on top of her bed.

A small red package lay on her bed with a golden bow.

She eyes it carefully and looked around incase someone was around.

"I thought you might like something to with tonight's outfit."

She jumped as Jack came out behind her. He was dressed already in his suit, a ivory tie that matched her dress adorned him.

"Open it," he leered and eyes her up and down.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't want anything from you." she snapped and started walking out of the room. He roughly grabbed her arms and pressed her against him.

"You're looking extremely delicious tonight, Mrs. Marshall," he grinned and eyed her hair, taking it in his hands and feeling it's texture.

"Let go of me, Jack Marshall I don't have time for this, too busy planning your little party," she hissed.

"Open the gift, my love--"

"I'm not your love...I've never been your love," she eyed him hard and pressed her palms against his chest to wrenched herself away from him.

He chuckled. "I know you're not, I know you still moon over that dead vampire of yours. My wife, the necrophiliac who loves to visit his empty crypt."

She growled almost in anger. "Shut up!"

"Buffy?"

Jack let Buffy go instantly as Dawn knocked on the door. Buffy glared at her husband.

He picked up the little box and shoved it at her. "You put it on yourself or I'll make you wear it."

He told her and walked out the door, leaving a stunned Dawn behind.

Dawn looked at Buffy, her sister was all shaky. "Are you okay?"

Buffy opened the box, with shaky hands and took out the necklace.

"I'm fine--just a little disagreement." she smiled and placed the necklace around her neck.

"He gave you this?" Dawn asked, walking into her room to look at the necklace better.

"Yeah, for the party," Buffy said sniffling a bit.

"It's beautiful, Buffy, really," Dawn told her about the ruby necklace.

"Yeah, let's go downstairs, people should be getting here already," she then noticed what exactly her sister was wearing.

Her navy blue number.

"What's this?"

Dawn shrugged. "I'm seeing Ricardo tonight, I needed to look good."

Buffy rolled her eyes at her younger sister. "C'mon."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guests began to arrive at the correct time. 7:30 on the dot, right when the sun had set and the earth was freshly accustomed to the night air, and the night glow where nothing is as it seems.

Spike's limo pulled up to the house at 7:45pm--the last of the party to arrive and after greeting people for the last fifteen minutes Buffy let out a sigh as she watched Lord Perling help his wife out of the car.

He looked amazing.

Dressed from head to toe in black, with only a red tie on his black silk dress shirt. She could tell he had suspenders underneath. Blood red, probably--this man obviously liked black and red, reminded her of Spi--

"Is he here?" Jack asked anxiously, coming up behind her.

She sighed and nodded, walking past him to be the proper hostess.

"Make sure they feel completely at home," he insisted, she ignored him and rolled her eyes not stopping to see him appreciating the way her backside was shown-off in her ivory dress.

Buffy looked herself over in the hall mirror and took a deep breath. "He's married, remember." she whispered a reminder to herself. With a smile plastered on her face she went up the two steps into the foyer.

Spike was taking Fadma's overcoat to reveal the princess' choice of a pale blue evening gown that shone against her dark skin, showing off her completely bare back.

Buffy held in all looks of jealousy against the woman and smiled wider, until she thought she might stay permanently stretched for the rest of her life.

"Good evening, Lord Perling--good evening Lady Perling," she said, extending her hand to take his.

He didn't met her eyes, that's one thing she noticed. And for some weird reason his hand felt cold. Was it cold outside? Maybe the limo was cold...

"Evening, Mrs. Marshall--" he did look her up and down and she got a bit of a rush out of it, taking whatever made her choose the beaded dress that would not show off her erect nipples at his scrutinizing gaze. "You look absolutely marvelous."

She smiled for real this time and was sure she was blushing as he kissed her hand.

Cold lips touching warm skin.

And then something happened that she would've never expected.

Never in a million years.

She saw a scar in his eyebrow.

She gasped, instantly and searched his face.

Before she could think on her own Fadma was pushing in and smiling brightly at her, taking her hand and shaking it. "Thank you for inviting us, Mrs. Marshall--we really haven't made any friends since we have arrived here and it seems extremely nice of you to open your home to us."

But Buffy wasn't listening to anything she was saying as she led her into the house, all she could do was continue her head mantra.

'He's not Spike. He's not Spike. He's not Spike. He's not Spike.'

Behind her Spike smirked.

His Slayer was a smart girl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I know we are...we are the lucky ones   
I know we are...we are the lucky ones   
I know we are...we are the lucky ones, dear_

At dinner they sat opposite to each other. His wife to his side as they listened to Jessica Kirling tell them some senseless story about her dog that Buffy idly wondered if it were her child.

How they groomed it, and bathed him and she seethed inside at how proper Lady Perling smiled and laughed at the Senator's wife story telling. Needless to say she was the star of the show. After all when is it that one sits to eat at a table with a princess, a nice and beautiful one at that. She was a picture storybook, even her husband was eying her with appreciation--along with all the other politicians. Lord Perling didn't seem to mind as he smiled fondly at his wife as she told them tales of Safi.

The worst part was when she started telling the guests how her and Lord Perling had met.

No arranged marriages for them, even though her father, Prince Nabil wanted it from the beginning--but no. It was all sappy and perfect and Buffy had to stuff her face with mashed potatoes to keep herself from puking.

Lord Perling, or Zeru as she called him--was a guest at her father's palace and she was appointed to 'entertain' him.

Buffy rolled her eyes--could it get more Indiana Jones than that?

But something happened--something very peculiar when Buffy stood up to help one of the caterers.

Lord Perling looked away from his wife long enough to catch Buffy's eyes.

And Buffy having a bowl of mashed potatoes in her hand dropped them in the tiled floor as she realized that through all her denial the man starring back at her with the little twinkle in his blue eyes was indeed Spike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Have you ever been in love   
You could touch the moonlight   
When your heart is shooting stars   
You're holding heaven in your arms   
Have you ever been so in love_

Dawn walked outside, running her hand through her curls making sure they hadn't frizzed. She took in a deep breath and looked around.

The porch was lit with Chinese lamps and there was a radio outside playing soft Jewel songs, hardly hearable with just enough to be heard clearly in the silent, moist night.

"You look beautiful."

She smiled and turned around softly.

Well--he looked pretty good himself, dressed in a black suit and green tie that somehow brought out the green in his eyes--he was freshly shaved and hair was cut.

"Is that the best you can do?" she asked him, cocking her head to the side and smiling a bit, hoping her nervousness wouldn't shine through.

He smiled and brought his hand from behind him, revealing one blue rose.

She stared at it, wondering if it was real or not.

"Is that real?"

He looked down at the rose in his hand and smiled.

"In ancient times it was said that the man who would find a blue rose for his lady will be the bravest of them all--but if the lady smelled it--only once she would remain in eternal sleep until the end of time."

"The end of time?" she asked, almost hypnotized with the night and his incredible scent, the way his look penetrated hers as he walked slowly up to her.

"Only to be broken by love's true kiss," he told her back and held out the flower.

_Have you ever walked on air   
Ever felt like you were dreamin'   
When you never thought it could   
But it will, it feels that good   
Have you ever been so in love_

"What do you want me to do with this?" she asked him, not taking the flower--knowing her history the rose would truly be enchanted.

"I got it for you, worry not, if you fall asleep I'll bring you back," he smirked.

She laughed. "Is this another way of telling me you want to kiss me?"

He held out the rose to her and laughed with her. "I actually dyed it--no harm in that."

She took the rose from him, not being able to contain the smile in her lips. "What was it's original color?"

He stepped closer.

"Blanco," he said in Spanish.

Her eyes brows furrowed. "What?"

"White, it was a white rose--"

"I don' like white roses," she told him.

"I know--that's why I dyed it," he smiled.

"I like blue, but let me guess 'you knew that?'," she grinned and smelled the rose.

It smelled of plastered dye and for some reason that made her laugh.

"What?" he asked, defensively.

"I can see why it would knock the girls out."

"And are you knocked out?" he asked, bringing his head closer to her until their lips were mere inches away.

"Completely off my feet," she smiled and let him kiss her.

Arms wrapped around each other as the night air enveloped the young lovers.

_Have you ever been in love   
You could touch the moonlight   
When your heart is shooting stars   
You're holding heaven in your arms   
Have you ever been in love, have you_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_The first time we made love, I...I wasn't sober.   
(and you told me you loved me over and over!)   
How could I ever love another, when I miss you every day..   
Remember the time we made love in the roses?   
(and you took my picture in all sorts of poses!)   
How could I ever get over you, when I'd give my life for yours_

He blinked and looked away.

The trance was gone and Buffy was left standing in a room, with mashed potatoes all over the place and feeling more lost than ever.

That was Spike--she was sure of it. She knew those eyes, she knew that eyebrow--underneath that beard and those manners and that posture was her vampire.

It was screaming at her and she could not bare to look away, just staring at him as he avoided her gaze.

He was now placing his hand against his wife's and Buffy clearly heard in her head the voice of her child from long ago.

_"He's a Prince," he smiled. "And he has a princess... she's very pretty."_

_"She is?" Buffy frowned._

_"Her hair is black and she loves him very much. Her skin is dark... and when she speaks I can't understand," he frowned._

_Buffy paused and froze on her place. "Dark skin?"_

_"Yes... she's his wife," her baby boy said and leaned in to place his small head on her chest._

All words haunt but this hurt most of all. Ghosts she couldn't begin to imagine were hidden within the confines of her mind, and they were threatening to explode any moment now.

"Buffy, dear are you okay?" she was shaken out of her trance by Jack who played the part of the very worried husband. "You're not hurt are you?"

"No..." she looked at Spike who was pretending to be interested in his dinner and her gut twisted. "Actually, I think I am... please excuse me."

With that she ran out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I know we are...we are the lucky ones   
I know we are...we are the lucky ones   
I know we are...we are the lucky ones   
I know we are...we are the lucky ones, dear My dear._

Spike watched with pained eyes as Buffy practically ran out of the room. Pain and betrayal in her eyes.

He hated doing this to her and for all he knew he could simply stand up and hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay--but something had happened to him while he was away--something so terrible and so cold that had made him numb.

He wanted to end everything and anything.

He wished he had never come back--to leave her dead in the dark tombs of his heart.

To leave her be.

To let him rest in peace. Like the dead corpse he was.

But something--at that moment--kept him there.

Small little eyes that looked up at him last night and asked him if he would ever leave again.

He had promised he would not.

The last thing he wanted to do was lie to his child--just like his father had lied to him many times when he was a young lad.

"I do apologize for my dear wife, she seems to have taken ill--perhaps we shall have a quick nightcap?" Jack offered, hopeful that at least the Lord would stay.

"I have a flight to catch, but darling--why don't you day behind?" Fadma turned to Spike.

Spike's eyes bugged out as he looked at her.

She smiled innocently and nodded to one of her servants to prepared her car.

"Do stay, M'lord--I would love a chat." Jack said, almost wringing his hands.

Spike looked the man over and smiled. "I would enjoy that indeed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_It's time to say I thank god for you   
I thank god for me give today to swim away and   
I know I know I know I know   
It's time to let you know time to let you know   
Time to let you know time to stay here with me_

Buffy ran into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her, breathing in and out--with tears in her eyes.

All this time she had thought him dead--was he really hiding from her?

But this was Spike--Spike wouldn't do that, especially after that first night, especially after everything he kept coming back and then why would Jack tell him he was dusted? Why would Riley confirm it?

Maybe he was kidnapped and this has all been a plan.

Suddenly her life didn't seem quite simple any more. Was it all a lie?

Did Jack have any clue of this? Did Giles?

She doubted everyone at that moment. What if Spike didn't remember her at all--what is he had some type of amnesia and woke up, not knowing who or what he was?

But why would he look at her the way he did? She knew he felt some thing--a tingling sensation that was driving her mad!

She wanted to cry and scream for answers.

Narrowing her eyes--she knew that's exactly what she was going to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The beeper to his side started vibrating and he pulled back, gasping for air.

"I have to go," he told her gently.

She sighed and kissed him once more, hoping that it might lengthen his stay, just the feel of his warm--hard body--against hers.

"No," she pouted and caught herself looking very much like Buffy did when she wanted something.

He laughed but pulled away. "Te quiero, mi amor." he whispered.

She smiled lazily. "What does that mean?"

He kissed her nose and walked away. "I'll tell you later, must go now."

She continued to pout as he walked away, just staring at his retreating back.

"Damn, me got it bad," she told her self as she sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I know we are we are the lucky ones   
I know we are we are the lucky ones   
I know we are we are the lucky ones   
I know we are the lucky ones_

Spike was tired of speaking politics with Jack Marshall so he settled in telling him that they would have their 'formal' meeting the day after tomorrow--Jack was welcome to come over his place. He could've ended it tonight, he knew he could but it was something in Buffy's face that prevented him, or maybe William walking downstairs and finding the man he'd known as 'father' killed by his real father. He just couldn't do it in this house.

That left mad--mad at himself for being weak and letting his actions be guided by Buffy once again. It had been a long time since that.

He wrapped his overcoat closer to himself as he stepped out into the night air and Lugo smiled, opening the limousine door for him.

"Did Fadma make it to her place?" he asked the young man.

He nodded. "Yes sir, we came back for you," he informed him.

Spike nodded in thanks and got into his limo.

Settling back on the cushions all he could think was of the quality bourbon stashed inside--he couldn't wait to get his hands on it.

Until he looked up, the door slammed and the limo started moving and all he could do was stare at the person before him.

Before sat Buffy, in an overcoat herself, staring at him, she had tear tracks down her cheeks and fire was spitting from her eyes.

"I know it's you, Spike," she told him.

Spike could really use that bourbon right at that moment and he swallowed. "I have no clue who you're talking about, Mrs. Marshall."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...

(well, she found out...)

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	20. Emotions of the Heart

**Emotions of the Heart-**-part 18 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The lyrics used in this chapter are owned by Hoobastank and are called _Running Away._

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: This might be a pretty dark chapter, lots of anger, frustration, pain and betrayal going on all around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow." -Chinese Proverb_

Dawn softly opened William's door. She sighed. He was inside, sleeping peacefully.

Walking to the side of his bed she bent down and kissed his cheek.

He had a restless sleep, she knew as a frown was pasted on his face.

"Shhhh... sweet dreams, William," she cooed softly as she ran her hand through his hair. He whimpered but then got quiet, finally reaching an undisturbed sleep.

"Soon our little family will be together, soon daddy will be home," she whispered.

From the crack of the door Jack listened to Dawn whisper to William. His eyes narrowed.

Soon Daddy will be home?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I Don't want you to give it all up   
And leave your own life collecting dust   
And I don't want you to feel sorry for me   
You never gave us a chance to be_

"How can you deny it?" she spit out at him. Her green eyes were blazing and he was sure that if she still was the Slayer she would've hit him so hard it would've snapped his neck.

He sighed and leaned back, lighting a cigar that he took from his coat pocket. "I'm rather confused, Madam. My name is Zeru Perl--"

"You're name is William, William the Bloody who also goes by the name of Spike." she studied his face, not believing he was denying it. "Why are you doing this?"

It was killing him, it was to see her there all hurt and betrayed and all because of him. But he felt too much anger, too much hate towards what had happened.

"William the Bloody? What type of a common cheap name is that?" he spit out, almost angry at her for confronting him this way.

"One belonging to a cheap liar like yourself," she snapped back, sadness mixing in with her anger.

"That's enough! I demand that you leave my car at once--"

The moment he said that the limo started moving. He pressed the button to contact Lugo. "Stop the car, Mrs. Marshall is getting out now."

"No, Mrs. Marshall is not," Lugo told him and turned off his speaker, leaving Spike hanging. Spike gritted his teeth and glared at the communicator.

"Looks like I have some people on my side," Buffy told him quietly.

He took a deep breath. "Mrs. Marsh--"

"Buffy," she demanded.

Another deep breath. "Buffy--please, I understand that perhaps I remind you of someone you once knew--"

"Yeah, perhaps he really is dead, ha? Perhaps my Spike is dead and you're just a shell."

That bothered the hell out of him.

"Perhaps you're delusional?" he spit back.

Her bottom lip trembled. "Why... why are you doing this?" she whispered, hoarsely.

Spike looked away, jaw clenching in anger.

She smiled crookedly. That was a trademark Spike gesture. "Look at yourself--I know it's you, Spike. You can no longer fool me."

He scolded himself internally--he was supposed to watch his every move. "I want you out of my car."

But his eyes never met hers, always staring out the window.

They were silent for a while, only letting the buzzing of the outside world to keep them company in their turmoil.

"Tell me you no longer love me--that you never loved. That all those times it was only lies. Tell me all that and I'll leave you alone, alone in your lies and your deceits." she stared him down. "Look at me and tell me, say it to my face, watch the sadness wash over me when you say it. If never loved me, you'd be able to stand it."

But he didn't look at her. He didn't look at her until the limo stopped and looking outside Spike could see that they were back at her house. Where her husband resided.

He was not going to say it.

_And I don't need you to be by my side   
To tell me that everything's alright   
I just wanted you to tell me the truth   
You know I'd do that for you_

"You have a son, I don't know how, I don't know why but you do. And if I'm not mistaken I believe he knows it. You will not come here and fill his heart with hopes and then crush it with your arrogance, he's just a little child and he loved you before he met you."

He looked at her. "I would never hurt William."

She nodded, small tears running down her face and she wrapped her coat around herself and stepped out of the limo as Lugo opened the door for her--defeated. She stopped, looked back at a stony Spike. "You just did." With that she walked into her house, walking as slowly as ever, never feeling more hurt and alone.

Lugo snapped his head to glare down at Spike.

"Get in 'ere," Spike hissed at him.

Lugo rolled his eyes and entered the limousine. Sitting opposite to Spike he waited for him to speak.

"Never, ever, interfere with my business," he spit out, low and venomously. "If I would've been the same man I was a decade ago I would've killed you--you remember that." he looked at him. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Nothing, I don't regret it, Zeru," he looked at him hard. "Here you have a woman that loves you. A beautiful woman who has your child and a woman whom you love back and you hurt her this way? Why, Zeru? Who are you really angry at? Yourself? Her? Him?" Lugo studied his face and Spike clenched and unclenched his jaw. "What are you gaining from this."

"It matters not now--she made her choice years ago... I'm making my choice now," he murmured.

Lugo nodded in mock agreement. "So this is how it is, then? You find all you've looked for and then you walk away from it."

"I never found anything," Spike snapped back. He pointed at the house. "She's lost--in there, with her fancy human husband and my child whom she's raised as his, now you tell me if you would forgive everything!"

"She thought you were dead!" Lugo argued, completely frustrated with him.

"I am dead! I died the moment I was taken from her!" Spike cried out, veins in his neck standing out.

Lugo studied the vampire for what seemed like hours, watched him as he growled softly in anger and resignation. "You are dead," he whispered to him. "And she doesn't deserve a corpse."

The young man got out of the limo, leaving Spike to seethe on his own.

_Why are you running away?   
Why are you running away?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Cause I did enough to show you that   
I Was willing to give and sacrifice   
And I was the one who was lifting you up   
When you thought your life had had enough_

Buffy was breathing in short spurts when she finally reached her bedroom. She didn't bother to take off her dress or coat, she simply looked around at her bedroom.

Nothing here felt like home. Home was nothing.

She felt so lost and alone and so... desperate. For just one look from him, for just one...*something*, she couldn't do this, she could feel her soul slowly dying within it's pain.

She walked to her bed, her large soft bed that she shared with no one but memories, nothing but shadows of the past.

She had to stop living in the past.

The past obviously didn't want her back.

But it was hard, it hurt--like a knife wound.

Slowly she sank in her bed and cried herself to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack was smoking his cigar when as he watched Buffy run up the stairs on the verge of tears--she had been so involved she hadn't seen him sitting in the dark, just observing her.

Something was off--something he didn't like... he felt something very old and influential in town.

His eyes narrowed as he heard her sobs.

He stood up cautiously and went to the far wall of his study, where no one was allowed to go.

Looking over his library he selected a book.

_The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World._

Pulling it out of it's slot he held it in his hand, dust covered it--it had been along time since he had used this.

He blew on the cover, watching as the dust floated in the dim light of the night and smiled and he opened the top.

The book was hollow inside and held a single small cell phone.

Picking it up he turned it on and dialed 6.

"Is this an emergency, Mr. Marshall," a poised operator asked him.

"Yes, I need you to find out all you can about a certain Lord Zeru Perling... it's a matter of national security." he said, looking around to make sure he was alone.

"Give us five hours and we'll fax everything to your secure server," she answered.

"Right then, five hours."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_And when I get close, you turn away   
There's nothing that I can do or say   
So now I need you to tell me the truth   
You know I'd do that for you_

Spike walked in a sort of daze as he entered his house that night.

He could've sworn he'd never felt more dead.

"I suppose you think what you did tonight was clever?"

He spun around and cursed himself for not sensing her. "I thought you were leaving, and what is it with women sneaking into my house?"

"I was leaving... until Lugo called me," she explained.

"Lugo called you?" Spike's eyes narrowed.

"Don't you dare snap at him," she hissed and walked around him, revealing her indigenous clothes of bare mid-drift and loose hair. "I can't believe you, Zeru!"

Spike growled and walked to his liquor cabinet. She quickly followed and snatched the drink he was about to drown away.

"Makes no bloody difference and mind your own business," he growled at her.

She slapped him, leaving him stunned and having this weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's not to I whom you must apologize, Zeru." she started pacing, a nasty habit she had caught on from him. "I don't understand you white-skins, my people, when they love something they go after it with all they are."

"You don't think I went after her? For two bloody years I followed her 'round like a puppy dog!" now he was the one who was pacing like a maniac--like a caged tiger who's been poked too long. "But no, the moment I finally get 'er we're just messed up and it only makes me think that you know, something up there is just tweaking with me because I have the bratty luck of getting her pregnant and leaving that--that--that poofter to move in my life! My life!" he took the bourbon and threw it against the wall, causing glass and liquor splash everywhere. "My bloody life!" he roared. "It's my life he's got! My girl, my kid, my Nibblet! He's got the whole damn enchilada and I can't do nothing but sit here on my arse and feel sorry for myself! Well fuck him... and fuck you!" he cried miserably. "And then suddenly I'm expected to just 'hey baby, all forgiven!' let's go back to the way it bloody was!" he growled and took a table and smashed it against the wall. "I died for 'er and now I find 'er all cozy in the arms of the same bastard who did this to me, the fucking bitch!" Another glass cup met the wall, crystals were thrown everywhere. He looked at her. "And you know what keeps me from going insane? You know what it is?"

She stood stock still and shook her head, too afraid to move and too smart to say anything.

"I have," he picked up a book and flung it. "A bloody kid!" A chair went flying. "A fucking kid!"

She winced when another chair went through the window and crashed down to the lawn from the second story.

"Well she can keep the tike! I don't need 'im, I don't need 'er, I don't need 'im and I don't," he pointed at her. "Need you."

It dawned on her that he was drunk off his ass, the little trip to the house was filled with emptying his stash from the car--his very large stash.

He wobbled a bit, sniffed, looked around... and fell face forward, flat on his face and fast asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_So why are you running away?   
Why are you running away?   
Is it me, is it you Nothing that I can do   
To make you change your mind_

She felt someone poking her shoulder and giving her little kisses on her face that she reluctantly opened her dry eyes.

She had been crying all night and she felt in serious need of a shower.

"Mommy, wake up," she heard him whispering.

One green eye opened and looked at her. "What's wrong, baby?"

"No one's home," he whispered back.

"Where's Theresa and Julius?" she asked her son, sleepily.

"Jack told them to take the week off," he said, not meeting her eyes.

She instantly sat up. "Why did you call your father Jack?"

His small lips pursed and he glared at nothing in particular. "He's not my dad.... I hate him."

"Sit up here," she told him.

He climbed her bed with some difficulty. "Why didn't you tell me you knew about Spike?"

William's eyes instantly lit up. "He told me not to."

"He told you to lie to me?" she asked in disbelief.

"No! He said it was our secret..." he frowned. "But I was bad and told Aunty Dawn--"

"Dawn knew?!" Buffy was in complete disbelief.

William nodded sadly.

"Oh, wait till I find my sister," she seethed.

"Don't be mad mommy, Daddy wanted to surprise you!" William insisted.

Buffy's heart hurt too much to let that get to her. "No, William... he wasn't going to tell me."

"But--"

"He might be your father, but he's not your dad. Jack is your dad, don't you remember all these years?"

"He never plays with me and tells me mean things and one time you weren't home and he locked me in my room while I cried cause there wuz monsters in my closet!" tears were streaking down his cheeks. "Daddy said that he was never going to hurt me again and I want my dad!"

Buffy sat helpless watching the one person she loved more in this world--more than Spike more than her sister more than her friends and watcher, she loved her child most and now he was crying because he wanted his father and she couldn't provide him with one. Jack had never been a decent father--even she knew that and Spike was obviously too involved in his own anger.

"I want my daddy!" he sobbed.

Buffy reached out for him but he shrunk away and jumped off the bed the way only a five year old can and slipped out of her room, slamming his bedroom door closed and trying to hide sobs in his quilt.

Buffy sighed and laid down on the bed.

"Damn you, Spike," she whispered hoarsely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Is it me, is it you   
Nothing that I can do   
Is it a waste of time?   
Is it me, is it you   
Nothing that I can do_

When he woke up he had a pounding headache.

So hard and so intense that he wished he'd stayed unconscious. "Bloody 'ell," he muttered.

He felt a heart beat in the room and opened one blue eye to check who it was.

He was wrong. He winced, there were two heart beats and two pairs of eyes glaring at him.

"I musta' pissed many people off last night, didn't I?"

Lugo walked up to him and handed him a glass of water and four aspirins.

"Thanks," he murmured.

He swallowed them quickly and hoped they'd work fast... at least before the bat beating over the head begun.

"So..." he looked at both Lugo and Fadma. "What can I do for you today?"

Lugo took this as his cue to leave the room, though he did pause to glare at Spike one last time. Fadma was eerily quiet.

It unnerved Spike to no end and he shuffled under his covers.

"I'm naked," he stated rather plainly.

"I know," she answered, very snappish.

He swallowed and looked around for his pants. She caught on.

"You ruined a six thousand dollar suit," she informed him.

"Bugger," he muttered and ran his hand through his hair--it was then that he noticed something. Something that made him quite mad.

His beard was gone.

Now there was no doubt that he was Spike.

"What the--"

"Kinda hard to deny who you are when you can't hide behind your mask, huh?" she asked him in Arabic.

He growled. "How dare you!?"

"I dare many things, are you going to defy me?" she snapped back, not moving anything but her perfectly red painted lips.

"You have a lot of nerve--"

"You listen to me very carefully, Jack is up to something, if you do not get her and the child out of there today I'm afraid he might--"

Spike almost stood up despite his clothe-less condition. "I'll kill 'im!"

"I thought you were already going to do that?" she asked him. "I thought your goal had always been to be with Buffy," she studied his hollow eyes. "When did you verge from the road, Zeru? Since the gold? Let me tell you something from someone who's had gold all her life--it doesn't get you anything. Gold is a material possession that comes and goes as quickly as the wind and it's never stable."

He looked down, almost ashamed, almost about to puke from the pounding in his head and chest.

"You two have something, William," she used his name, tired of the sound of Z's and U's. "Something I have never had, something I wish I had," her voice cracked a little. "And here you are throwing it all away with both hands. Do you love her?"

He didn't answer but clenched his jaw back and forth.

"Do you love her?" she repeated herself.

_To make you change your mind   
So why are you running away?   
Why are you running away?   
...What is it I've got to say..._

"Yes, I bloody well love 'er!"

"Can you forgive her, the same way I know she'll forgive your harsh words?" she asked him, now standing up and looking down at him.

"You know I will... it's just that... I need time..."

"But you don't have the time. Time is ticking, William. Your son continues without a father and she continues without her love. What more can a couple a months mean to them, you might ask yourself? When you're by yourself, a day turns into a year, and a month becomes a lifetime. You're a vampire, William. They only have a few years, she's a mortal woman and he's a mortal child... time will go by fast and swiftly and before you know it all you'll have are memories--that's all you'll have." she was silently crying, letting tears run down her face. "I'm telling you now that this is your moment, William. Be strong, be a man and make that time gold, swallow your pride, forgive and forget... before you turn into the same heartless man who hurt you... the longer you wait, the more you remind me of Jack Marshall."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last time he had needed mom he had found his dad.

In his mind, if he set out to find him he would find him once more.

So he packed his same book bag, placed Piglet inside along with Mr. Gordo who had given the small pink pig the evil eye, also with some drawings he'd made with his dad and his blankie and zipped it up.

He pulled on his favorite outfit once more and started his climb out the window.

It was not until two hours later that Buffy decided to check on him, she was sure he had fallen asleep crying which hurt her most of all but she knew he needed to get it out of his system.

Before she knocked on his door, there was a ringing from the front door.

She sighed and decided to let William sleep until she took care of the company.

She tied her robe closer around her body and went downstairs since Jack had gone off on decision making once more and left her without their house help.

She opened the door gingerly but found before her the last person she would've ever imagined.

Clad in black silk robes, with her face half covered stood Fadma.

"Your highness--"

"Let's get over the pleasantries, shall we?" she asked.

Buffy nodded and stood back to let her in.

So this was Spike's wife? She sniffed inside.

Fadma looked around her house--obviously the previous night's party had not been cleaned after and it made Buffy all the more self conscious as she had no make up and her hair was freshly washed, in her bathrobe while the woman before her stood in impeccable beauty.

"You love him," Fadma stated.

Buffy took some time before she thought of what to say. "As do you."

Fadma smiled and let down her veil. "You're very observant, Buffy Summers."

Buffy stared at her. "You know everything?"

"Yes, I do."

"I've never had the intention of taking your husband away--"

Fadma laughed. "Oh but it would've only been a matter of time, wouldn't it? I know because I would've done the same thing." Fadma looked around and decided to take one of the foyer seats. "We're very much alike, you and I. We both love the same man, we both would give our lives for those whom we loved and we're both women not to be trifled with."

Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "I think you've won and it's best you leave... along with him." she hugged herself. "Me and my son will be alright--we've always made it through somehow, I don't need Spike."

"Maybe you don't... but maybe you do. It's all about want, really if you think of it. Would you rather live your life just you and your child than him at your side along with the child," Fadma said theoretically.

Buffy sighed. "Both of you are obviously in love, I won't break that... if he's happy then I'm happy for him."

Fadma smiled. "You're very generous, dear. But we're not in love. At least he's not." She looked directly at Buffy. "I tried so very hard, I did... but you see, you can't fall in love with someone, when you're in love with someone else. He loves me, yes--but not in the same manner he loves you. Like he's always had."

Buffy stiffened but didn't look away. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that although it is I who poses as his wife, it's not me whom he's given this to," with that she stretched out her first, holding something inside and offering it to Buffy.

Buffy stared at her fist for some time when she sighed and decided to take what was being offered. There, in her tiny golden hand, laid an earring.

The same earring he had taken from her that night when he disappeared so long ago. Buffy gasped, trembling and pulled from the inside of her robe a long chain hidden within. The charm was the earring's sister--the charm she had never taken off.

"I think we both know who has won," Fadma whispered to her, smiling sadly.

_So why are you running away?   
...To make you admit you're afraid...   
Why are you running away?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...

(*bg* I want to thank everyone is ff.net who has left such grand reviews, even thought I can't answer all of you I really appreciate the feedback)


	21. The Empire Strikes Back

**The Empire Strikes Back**--part 19 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics used in this chapter are owned by Enrique Iglesias and are called Hero.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I'm not going to say anything about this chapter because every reader will have their own reaction, just remember that things will work out at the end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Let me be your hero_

"What is this supposed to mean?" Buffy asked Fadma after a while."

Fadma stood up gently and stepped closer to Buffy.

"I believe, he that loves you, is waiting for you," she smiled.

Buffy's heart leaped at her throat. "Oh god..."

"My limousine will take you to his place," Fadma informed her.

"William--"

"I'll take care of him, Spike told me to tell you to trust me, I bring the earring as proof," she said gently.

"But--"

Fadma placed her hand on Buffy's forearm. "I think time by yourselves is well deserved."

Buffy's heart was thumping so hard in her chest she could hardly breathe. "I...god this is all so sudden, you know? I think I've dreamed of this moment for years and years and suddenly I'm completely lost."

"Well let's take things one at the time--go and get dressed."

Buffy blushed and looked down at herself. "Give me ten minutes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Would you dance if I asked you to dance?  
Would you run and never look back?  
Would you cry if you saw me crying?  
Would you save my soul tonight?_

The drive to wherever Spike was at took a million and one years, it all seemed like a blur, it all seemed like a dream she feared she was stuck in and any minute Spike would still be dead and she would be alone with William once more.

This was all happening so fast she was surprised she didn't put on different shoes, she was suprised she knew what anything was, according to her nerves she should've been having a mental breakdown.

But she wasn't.

She sat poised, holding all her emotions in ... but they were about to pop any moment now.

The car finally made it to a complex for the very rich only, the limo drove to the very end, past pastures and small hills until it reached Spike's supposed house.

Her jaw dropped.

She wondered if he indeed was a Lord.

There were so many things to say to each other, so many questions, emotions and answers she didn't know where to begin.

Clutching her bag she stepped out of the car as the driver opened the door and she was facing the old English-style mansion. "Lord Zeru is expecting you."

She nodded at the servant who came out. "My name is Talsi, a faithful servant of El Zeru, anything you need, Ms. Summers and I would get it for you."

She followed the tall man into the house. "Faithful servant?"

Talsi smiled. "I was the one who found him at sea, close to death he was, but I found him," he told her rather proudly of his accomplishment.

"Why do you call him Zeru?" she asked him as she kept up with him going up stairs.

"He is the one--the one in the prophesy," he turned to her and smiled. "It will all be explained in due time."

Buffy nodded. Spike in a prophesy--seemed wrong somehow.

They stood before a large double door entrance and he opened it for her, bowing slightly and motioning for her to go inside.

This was it--this was the moment, if she stepped into this room Spike would no longer be dead, he would be alive and she really didn't know what to expect.

What if he really didn't love her anymore--what if she wouldn't be able to love him back? What if they were not the same people who fell in love with each other? So many questions and so many doubts...she felt faint.

"Enter, Ms. Summers--do not be shy," Talsi smiled and gave her the little push she needed to place her right foot infront of her left one and move forward.

Her feet walked her into the room, curtains were drawn on the windows, the room was decorated with Victorian styled furniture and dark maroon colors.

"Hello?" she asked, rather timidly.

She jumped. "Over here, Buffy."

She slowly turned towards the voice that called her.

There, standing by another large window stood a man--most probably Spike with his back turned to her--looking out the curtained view.

"Spike?" she whispered.

She could see him take a deep breath and slowly--ever so slowly he turned to face her. Turned until he was facing her.

Turned until she could see that face, sharp cheekbones and pale blue eyes, curly blonde hair that was slicked back and mouth that held a doubtful pout.

Her eyes widdened. He no longer had a beard--this was Spike--her Spike.

"Hello Cutie."

And she did what any other woman would've done.

She fainted.

_Would you tremble if I touched your lips   
Would you laugh oh please tell me this   
Now would you die for the one you love   
Hold me in your arms tonight_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn almost jumped at the knock at the door--she looked at herself one more time in the mirror and grinned at her reflection.

Popping a breath mint in her mouth she moved to answer her door.

She opened the door, plasting a smile on her face.

"You're lat--" she gasped.

"Expecting someone else?"

There--before her stood Jack, all dressed in army clothes and fully armed.

"Jack?"

"How are you dear sister of mine," he grinned and walked in, making Dawn back up against the wall.

"I didn't know you would be dropping by--and what's with the outfit?" she asked, confused.

He let out a dark chuckle that sent shivers up and down her back. "You know what's going on, don't you... Dawnie?"

Now her heart was pounding. "I don't--"

His face morphed in anger. "Lying bitch!"

The back of his hand flung faster than what she could stop it and knocked her down on the floor. She whimpered in pain--her eye socket felt like it was going to pop out any moment.

His hand grabbed the back her head and he kneeled in the ground and brought her head against his chest. "Shh.... sweet Dawn." He ran his hand down her burning cheek. Now she started crying.

"Jack, please--"

"Shhhh..." he smoothed and started rocking her back and forth. "You know--you turned out to be more beautiful than your sister, had I known that--"

She sobbed and tried to wriggled away from him but his grip on her upper body continued and he now started kissing the top of her head.

"Stop, please stop," she begged him, pulling on his grip so hard she was bruising herself.

"Now, now, Dawn--" she fought him. "Stop that, bitch." She continued, tears streaming down her face. "I know about the vampire, Dawn--if you don't stop this I'll kill him, I swear I will."

Hate sparkled in her eyes. "Good luck in that--after what you did now he'll hunt you down, he will," she spit at his face. "You're a dog!"

His hand pulled back to smack her again and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the blow.

But the blow never came as Jack was grabbed roughly and thrown off her against the wall.

Jack cried out and Dawn opened her eyes--confused and frightened.

Lugo stood before a shaking Dawn. "Are you alright?"

He was breathing deeply and Dawn nodded, quickly.

His gaze went to the man on the floor whom was starting to stand up. "Of course--the knight in shining armor." He chuckled.

"You don't touch her *ever* again--you got that?" Lugo hissed.

"I'll touch her all I like," Jack snapped.

Lugo growled and punched him square in the jaw, Jack reeled back and punched him back. Dawn backed up into a corner too frightened to do anything.

Lugo grabbed Jack by his waist and lifted him up in the air, bringing him down against Dawn's living room coffee table.

The wood broke under him and Dawn screamed.

Taking advantage that Jack was on the floor Lugo kicked him hard in the gut, making Jack double over.

"I say it again, you don't touch her *ever* again," Lugo repeated himself. "Or you'll have me to deal with."

Jack chuckled once more, wriggling in the floor. "Have you told her, slave?"

Lugo's jack tightened. "You don't get to speak!"

Jack, leaned back against the wall, resting his hand behind him and without Dawn and Lugo noticing he grabbed hold of a military club he had in the waistband of his pants.

"Did you tell her about you *wife* and your *daughter*?"

Lugo's eyes widened.

"I know all about you, Luis Monteverde," Jack grinned at Lugo.

Dawn looked at Lugo confused. "What is he talking about?"

"Yeah--I know all about the family you left behind. What is your daughter's name? Amanda? Yes--that's her name."

Lugo looked down at the floor, defeated.

"It's lies, isn't it?" she asked Lugo with tears in her eyes. "Tell me it's lies!"

Lugo licked his lips and looked straight at Jack's eyes. "What the scum says is true," he turned to look at her. "I was going to tell you--"

"Oh god," Dawn whispered.

Taking advantage that Lugo and Dawn were too preoccupied, Jack pulled the club from behind him and stood up too quickly for Lugo to counteract the two blows to his head that came with full force.

Dawn screamed and stood up. "No!!"

Lugo promptly fell on the floor, leaving a sickening 'thud' in the air.

She looked around wildly and grabbed the same bat she had used on Lugo the first night she met him. "Get out!" she screamed at Jack, holding the bat to her defense.

Jack chuckled and placed the club back on his holster. "I'm done here."

"Get out, get out!" she screamed again, tears running down her face.

He smiled and walked out.

She took about three deep breaths and dropped the bat.

She threw herself down on top of Lugo, turned him from his stomach down position. There was blood seeping down his eye, the club had opened up a gash on his temple and a large bump was forming on his forehead.

_I can be your hero baby   
I can kiss away the pain   
I will stand by you forever   
You can take my breath away_

"Ricardo!" she urged, shaking him a bit.

He opened his eye, painfully.

"Dawn?"

She let out a sigh. "We need to get you to a doctor."

"We must warn Zeru," he hissed, sitting up with her help. "_Mocoso_." he cursed at Jack under his breath.

"How do you know he's going after Spike?" she asked him, helping him stand up to lay on her couch.

"Haven't you figured it out?" he looked at her as she tried to clean the blood from his face. He took her hand in his. "He's the one who kidnapped Zeru all those years ago."

She pulled back from him. "How can I believe you?" she hissed. "Seems like everything about you is a lie."

He sighed and looked down. "I have no hope of getting your trust back, Dawn. But if not for me--we must do it for Zeru."

Clenching her jaw she nodded and helped him up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy opened her eyes to the damp towel soothing her forehead. "Hummm..." she murmured half asleep.

"Almost knocked yourself out cold if I'd not grabbed you," she heard a voice say...a voice that brought back 101 memories.

She sat up. "Spike?"

He took a seat next to her in bed and gave her a small smile. "Slayer."

Her mouth hung open as she looked at him.

"Oh..." she reached up to touch his face. "My..." tracing his cheeks. "God...you're alive."

"I thought you had that figured out a few nights ago," he smiled, taking her small, trembling hand and bringing it against his lips.

She shivered. "I thought I'd gone crazy... it all seems so..."

"Unreal?" he finished for her.

_Would you swear that you'll always be mine   
Would you lie would you run and hide   
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?   
I don't care you're here tonight_

"How...you... what happened?" she asked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I....it's a long story," he sighed and stood from the bed, pacing the floor.

She followed him, watching his every move. "I have the time."

"No it's--" he looked at her. "Complicated, very complicated."

"You used to tell me everything, even when I didn't want to hear it," she said softly.

He smiled slightly and regarded her. "I did, didn't I?" They both smiled at each other. "You look good."

She blushed and looked down. "Not that same young girl I was."

"Well, Pet...you still look delectable," he smirked.

"You're being nice," she grinned. "I know I look like a married mom--look," she pointed to her shirt. "Pastels!"

He chuckled and she joined him.

She sighed. "God, Spike--where have you been?"

"I got vamp-napped," he started from the beginning.

She looked confused. "Vamp-napped?"

"On my way home to you that night... got caught by Initiative blokes, when I woke up the next time I was in a 'copter over the Straight of Gibraltar and was flung out to the sea... landed in a little island called Galleno." He took a deep breath. "Spend 'bout four years there..."

"Four years?" Buffy said and sat down--she was feeling lightheaded all of the sudden.

He sat in front of her on the tea table and reached out tentatively for her hands. She let his larger hands envelop hers and sighed, remembering clearly the day she came back from the dead all those years ago and him holding her in the same manner.

"I can't believe it," she said quietly. "All this time... Jack told me that you were dead..."

"Jack," Spike said with venom in his voice. "Is the bloody bastard that dropped me on the island," he stood up and went to stand by the covered window--much the same way she had first seen him. She wondered if pulling the curtain back and letting the sun's rays bathe him was a temptation. "I'll take care of your girl' he told me. 'She won't need a thing'."

"Jack told you this?" she asked, bewildered, and coming to stand next to him.

"Ask him, Buffy--ask him and see the lies in his eyes." he looked at her. "Have I ever lied to you?"

She looked at those eyes she knew more in her dreams than in reality. "No... you never have. Even when I wanted you to... like right now." she looked down at her hands. "I think William tried to tell me in the best way a five year old can... but I didn't want to believe him... I was just..." she looked back up at him. "He's my husband, Spike... he's my husband."

"Do you love him?" he asked her, taking her by the upper arms, feeling her heat warm him through the light material.

She looked up at him. "No... never have..."

"Do you still love me?" he asked her sincerely.

She cocked her head to side and smiled. "I never stopped."

Smiling back at her he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Pulling back he looked at her eyes that were wild and needy. "Neither have I... even when I knew you were dead I didn't stop... never stopped." He tangled his hand in her hair, reminding him so much of that day when they had sung and danced to the rhythm of a dancing demon. He had saved her that day--when all her Scooby friends had stood back he had saved her. Yet now they were saving each other. "Dreamed of you... wanted you..." Lips so close, inching in one by one... "Always." She let out a small whimper. "Now."

And then their lips met.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Fadma went up the stairs carefully, looking into the rooms--not finding William's.

The last door was at the end of the corridor. She went in--it was dark so she turned on the lights. "William?"

Her eyes went wide as she surveyed the empty bed, the open window and the missing pigs.

"Oh no..."

She ran down the hall to the nearest telephone, quickly dialing Spike's house.

"Jemina? I need to speak with Zeru --it's an emergency... I know he said not to disturb him but this is important!"

Fadma shifted from one foot to the other and waited patiently.

Spike pulled away from Buffy--startled as someone knocked on the door.

"Zeru!"

"I said I was not to be disturbed!" he growled Buffy smiled and leaned in to him, resting her hand against his neck.

"It's Princess Fadma--she says it's an emergency!"

Both blondes pulled away. Spike strode to the phone and yanked it up.

"Fadma?"

Buffy studied his face as it went paler than what it was. "You stay put--we'll find him."

He hung up the phone and looked at Buffy.

"William's missing... again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can't believe you don't know his number!" Dawn hissed at Lugo. She was driving his SUV as he leaned his pounding head against the seat.

"I was always terrible at remembering numbers," he frowned. "This will all be my fault."

Dawn sighed and made a sharp turn. "Good thing you didn't forget were he lives."

He chuckled. "Are trying to jinx us?"

She tried to glare at him from the corner of her eye but it didn't work. "Are you really married?"

He didn't answer for a long time. "I am."

"I see..." she said softly, trying not to show how much that hurt her. "Do you love her?" she asked, quietly.

He looked at her. "No... I love you."

Dawn looked away and to the road. "If you would've loved me you would've told me."

He studied her for a while. "I have ruined it all, have I not?"

She didn't answer his question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He's what?" Buffy cried, panicked.

Spike reached out for her. "Fadma went to his room to check on him and he was gone--must've been gone for hours."

"Oh god!" Buffy felt faint again. "He has to stop doing this!"

"We'll find him--hit the streets," he told her, reaching for his coat as he spoke. She nodded and started putting on her shoes that he had taken off when she had fainted.

"Maybe start were you last found him?" Buffy asked him, hoping that he'd say 'yes--he'll be there.'

Spike nodded and grabbed her hand to head to the door. "I'm glad you're with me this time."

He looked at her and smiled. "Same here, pet."

However they had to stop in their tracks when in the doorway stood Jack with a gun pointed at them and a smirk on his face.

"Here's Jack!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had no clue were his feet were leading him but he knew--somewhere inside of him that this was the right house.

There was a limo outside that looked just like his dad's--it made him all the more anxious to see him.

He was tired and knew he needed a bath but it didn't stop him as he walked up the steps of the large Victorian mansion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Jack?" Buffy gasped.

"Darling! I see you took the whole seduction to a whole new level!" he winked at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Put that away, Jack--you're going to hurt someone. And William's missing!" She cried.

"Watch me weep," he snapped, cocking the gun.

She narrowed her eyes. "You bastard."

Jack smiled and looked at Spike. "Look at what we have here, how are you old boy?"

Spike's jaw was about to snap in four pieces. "Jack Marshall, I went half way through the world looking for you, mate."

"Wow! And all this time I was right here fucking your girlfriend!"

"You son of a--" Buffy wanted to jump at him but Spike held her back. "All this time you knew?"

Jack laughed at her. "Of course I knew, Buffy. You really think the military will go out of it's way to inform you that one no good vampire is dead?"

Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "You're a dead man."

"No--you guys are. Once I'm done with both of you I'm taking all your lovely funds and financing my campaign for years to come," he smiled, widely.

"And how exactly do you expect to do that?" Spike asked him, eyes narrowing.

"Just. Like. This," he pointed the gun at Buffy's head and prepared to fire.

Between the moment the Buffy tried to duck and Spike tired to pull her--William came running down the hall his book bag jumping up and down behind him with a small smile on his face. "Mommy! Daddy!"

Jack wasn't expecting to hear someone else coming next to him and all his years in the army basically moved him in accordance to what he sensed as danger.

He turned his body faster than he could move and fired the gun at the intruder.

Buffy screamed when he heard the shot, followed by her body being thrown in the floor by a tackling Spike.

And Jack...

Jack stood wide mouthed at the small pile of flesh on the floor.

Before him laid a shot William, not moving on the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC...

(I have to be out of town for personal safety *eg* Now remember that all this was planned since I started the story... that doesn't make it better does it? ... Going now.)


	22. FURY

**FURY-**-part 20 of_ The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics used in this chapter are owned by Virgil and are called _Heal Yourself_

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I know you all want Jack dead but he has to deal with some issues--plus let him cower in fright for a while, he deserves it *eg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike heard Buffy screaming but he had no clue what she was screaming about--maybe she was just scared that her husband had finally shown his true face.

Jack was staring at the limp body, his mouth hanging open, his hand shaking so violently he dropped his gun.

"I..." he stared at William's body, then at Buffy wild eyes. "I didn't..."

Not knowing what else to do he let out his own frightened cry and fled the house as fast as his feet could carry him.

Buffy wrestled her way out of Spike's grasp and ran to the hall.

She let out another scream when she saw exactly what she had feared when she heard his happy voice calling for his mom and dad.

Spike ran up to see what had happened--he had been too preoccupied tackling Buffy to hear when William came in.

So he stood in shock along with her and she cried.

"Oh god, please, oh no," she threw herself by his side and picked him up.

Blood started gushing everywhere, his eyes were rolled back and only the white part showed and he was breathing in wheezes.

"William, oh god, please please please please," she continued chanting, tears spilling from her face.

Spike shook himself out of his trance and looked out in the direction Jack had left.

Fury swelled in him, so pure and whole that he began to shake with it. He threw himself next to Buffy, not knowing what to do as she pressed her hand tightly against their son's small chest.

"No please don't take him from me, please don't take him," she whispered to whatever diety would hear her.

Spike quickly took his pulse. "He's still alive, c'mon," struggling against her shaking form he grabbed William from her, watching as she ripped her cardigan and pressed the cloth against William's chest. Spike held his little boy close to him and started running to the entrance of the house.

He didn't realize he was crying also until he started hearing Buffy's sobs. "C'mon, pet--need you to be strong," he told her but all she could do was clutch at his arm and look at William's non-responsive face.

At the front door they ran smack into a beaten Dawn and Lugo.

Dawn screamed and moved her arms to grab William.

"Oh my god!"

"He's still alive--needs a hospital," Spike said quickly, walking past them.

Lugo grabbed the keys from Dawn's trembling hands and ran to turn on the Jeep.

Spike jumped in the back seat, pressing William against his chest, Buffy slid in next to him and Dawn took the front passengers seat.

Spike looked at Lugo from the rear-view mirror. "You have five minutes, three have passed already."

Lugo nodded and sped off into the night.

_Though he never had a reason to leave them  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad  
Every second has a season, he tells them  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His heart was pumping in his chest and he felt faint but he continued to run to his jeep. He jumped on and with trembling hands turned the ignition on.

What did I do? He kept thinking over and over to himself. What did I...oh God....

He sped off into the night, chest heaving, hands shaking, sweat pouring from his face.

He took the rout to his destination--one he hadn't gone to in years but he must have pulled it from his memory banks because before he knew it he was almost there.

He had never meant to hurt William, honest he didn't--He could still feel the vibrations of the gun going through his hands and that sight---the sight of his limp body on the floor, blood gushing from underneath him.

"Oh god," he sobbed, tears blindly blocking his eyesight, he almost ran into another car and he could hear the honk and sirens after him.

He was done for now--the only way he could get away with it was to stage a murder...but it was too controversial, he's have to kill Buffy, Dawn, Spike and his slave.

Election was weeks away--this was not in his plan.

He made a sharp turn, almost running into a screaming pedestrian. He didn't care--this all had to end and soon... and the little back part of his mind called a conscience was hissing at him and bringing back memories of how his surrogate son fell on the floor all by his hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"His heart is slowing," Spike said, almost in a trance.

"No!!" Buffy sobbed next to him, but continued to press the cloth against her son's bleeding chest wound. "Please, please hurry!"

Lugo stepped more on the pedal--they were almost going 95 in a 30 mile zone.

Dawn was sobbing quietly and holding on to dear life as Lugo drove crazier than she'd ever seen anyone.

"Please, baby hang on, please my love just stay strong," Buffy kept humming back and forth to William, stroking his damp hair and kissing his little hands.

"Almost there," Lugo informed them.

Dawn was praying in her side, taking a chance once in a while to look back at William in Spike's arms.

They pulled up to the emergency room and Spike literally yanked the door open, jumping out and running with William inside.

"Someone, please!" he screamed, searching wildly around the room. "We need help, please!"

Two nurses came rushing out when they saw William's limp body and Spike and Buffy both bathed in his blood.

"What happened?" they asked him and quickly checked for vital signs.

"He was shot about ten minutes ago," Spike said, trembling and placing William down on the large gurney that a male nurse brought out.

"Child has been shot, chest wound, going into trauma," the nurses told each other. They quickly had him strapped on the gurney and were wheeling him away.

Buffy hand was on to the side of the gurney. "Please baby, stay strong."

"Are you his mother?" one of the nurses asked her.

"Yes--he's only five..." Buffy said, stroking William's hair as the doctor started looking over him.

"I need you to step back--let us do our job," he told her, never taking his eyes off William.

"But he---he'll need his mother," Buffy was still pushed out of the room. "Please--I won't get in the way--"

"Get her out of here," he told the nurses.

Spike took Buffy's arms and pulled her out of the room.

"Spike he's--" Buffy was desperate, looking in on the small window where they were placing IV's in his small arms and cleaning off his wound so the doctor could inspect it.

"Shhh, luv--let them do their job, he's a strong kid," Spike pulled her against his chest.

"No..." she sagged against him. "Bring him back..."

He wrapped his arms around her and started walking away to the waiting area where Dawn and Lugo were waiting.

"Are you the parents of the boy?" a dark haired nurse asked them--with a chart in her hand.

"Yes... we are," Spike gulped.

"I'd need to ask you a few questions, if that's alright with you," she told them and motioned for them to follow.

Spike moved along a crying and shaking Buffy to follow the nurse--he really didn't know anything about William other than he liked pigs and he was his son, he couldn't answer any other questions.

"What is the patient's name?" she asked them.

"William," Spike answered quickly.

She looked up at him.

"Does he have a last name?" she asked.

"Hummm, pet--" he looked down at Buffy was almost star=ring blankly straight ahead. "What's his last name?"

"He's not a Marshall," she stated, blinking once.

"No he's not," Spike soothed her and kissed the top of her head.

"Look, I know you folks have been through a lot today but I need the facts of William and how the accident happened."

"He shot him," Spike said looking at her.

"Who did?" she asked, looking up from on top of her glasses with her pen ready.

"Marshall--Jack Marshall."

Her pen dropped. "House candidate Jack Marshall?" she asked, almost doubtful.

"Yes," Spike answered, his grip on Buffy stronger when she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Sir--do you know whom you're talking about--"

"I've got four witnesses that'll say he did so," he looked at her hard. "Are you going to write that down also?"

She quickly nodded and started writing.

_Heal yourself  
Heal yourself_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack pulled up to the urbanization complex around 10:47PM that day, still shaking and sweating more than he could've ever imagined.

The house still had the living room lights on so it gave him the courage to run up the step and ring the doorbell frantically.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, the door was opened.

"Jack?" the man asked, clearly surprised.

"Please let me in--I can fill you in on the details inside," he looked wildly behind him as if someone was following him or watching him. "It's not safe out here."

The man eyed him up and down--he was a mess, a complete mess, hadn't shaved his beard in days, he had blood sprinkled on his green shirt and he was sweating and shaking.

"Please, Riley--let me in!" Jack pleaded.

Riley sighed and nodded, opening his door up so he could enter. "Don't make noise, Sam and Kimberly are asleep."

The taller man led him inside his house, taking him to the study in the corner of the house, on their way there they ran into toys thrown all over the floor, Riley bent down and picked them up, throwing them to the side and murmuring something about hyper 3 year olds.

When they were both inside the dark room, Riley closed the door behind them and made sure it was locked.

He turned to face Jack, folding his arms across his chest and motioning him to take a seat.

"What brings you here?" he asked him.

Jack was busy closing the windows in complete paranoia, looking around making sure nothing was bugged.

"The house is clean--I've checked it myself as has Sam, you think anything would escape us?" he asked him, walking to his liquor tray and pouring himself and Jack a drink of Brandy.

"You can never be too careful, Riley--these are bad times, you know," Jack nodded in thanks at the drink and gulped it down in one shot.

Riley arched his eyebrow at him. "What happened--you look like shit, man."

Jack put down his glass and walked closer to Riley--his eyes wild and crazy as he spoke. "He's back--the damn creature, haunting me, he is."

Riley gulped--his friend had completely lost it.

"Who is haunting you, Jack--I saw you on TV not two weeks ago and you Buffy and Jacob seemed fine," Riley said, taking a drink.

"He's back--we thought we killed him, thought we got rid of him but he's back for her--he's back for me, for us. We're dead, dead I tell you." he was shouting by the end and Riley had to physically place his hand over his mouth so not to wake his family.

"Shhh!" Riley hissed. "You've lost it completely, Jack!"

"The vampire!" Jack insisted.

"What vampire, which one?" Riley asked, now worried about the crazy man in his house.

"William--the one you called Spike," Jack smiled as Riley paled and he nodded slowly. "Now who's the madman, eh?"

"When--how--?" Riley asked, sitting down, trying to process this information.

"He arrived in L.A. about 3 months ago--staying with the souled one for some time but he came after her, the General died last year, Riley! You're the second in command!"

"Was, the second in command! I'm done with it, Jack--I'm a Psychology professor now and Sam is a nurse, we're normal people that have a three year old daughter, don't you bring your troubles to me," Riley told him, standing up and eyeing him sternly.

"Not your problem?" Jack asked him unbelieving him. "You were the one who came to me!"

"You had orders, soldier!" Riley reminded him.

"And I followed them--and they came from you!" he hissed.

"I told you about the abduction, not about the special 'Slayer' project, you volunteered for that on your own after you got the hots for her!"

"Well I want out!"

"You can't! You pledged your life to this duty, you were to conceal Buffy and keep her believing she was no longer the Slayer--those were the rules, Marshall--those were the rules you swore to in blood!" Riley snapped. "What do you think the council will do if they find out you're backing out?"

"He's after me, Jack and soon he'll come for you!" his eyes were wide with terror once again.

"Why? Because of what we did?" Riley asked, taking another gulp. "We were following orders--" he studied Jack, there was more than fright in those eyes.

There was guilt.

"What did you do?" Riley whispered.

Jack's eyes went wider.

"What did you do--"

"I didn't see him coming, I swear I didn't!" he pleaded.

"Who--"

"He just came out of nowhere, always making all this noise--it was an accident, Riley, I swear it!" Jack, grabbed on to his shirt.

"What happened?" Riley narrowed his eyes.

"He just so little and--"

"What happened?!"

"I didn't mean to do it," Jack sobbed, grabbing on tighter to his shirt. "He'll kill me for it--I know it!"

"William...what happened to William?" Riley asked, shaking the man before him.

Jack looked so lost, tears streaming down his face, his hands shaking. "I shot him...I shot my son..."

Riley gaped at him, trying to process the information.

"I shot the one I was supposed to protect... the whole mission is gone to hell, you know I never miss..." Jack sniffled. "Hell's coming for me now."

"Get out," Riley hissed. Jack looked pleadingly at him. "When hell comes after you--it ain't here where they will find you."

_The other one he solves their problems of costume  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad  
They've the mind to hide the blood that make their lines  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had not been in the waiting room for more than 10 minutes when the entire gang burst through the door. Including Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya who was now carrying a lovely baby girl in her arms.

"Buffy!" Giles cried, and Buffy instantly woke up from her light sleep she had found in Spike's arms and let her watcher embrace her.

"What happened?"

"Who did it?"

"How is he?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Buffy say something!"

"Will you give the girl some damn space!" Spike growled.

The gang went pale and stared at him--as if they'd seen a ghost.

Julie, Xander's little girl began to sob at Spike's outburst, plus she was not pleased at being woken up from her sleep this late at night.

"There, there, baby," Anya shushed and rocked her back and forth.

"Spike?" Giles was the first to ask.

Spike nodded.

Buffy disentangled herself from Giles' arms.

"Hello, mate."

"But-but-you're dead," Willow stated, confused.

"He is dead, Wil--and obviously never giving up on his chase-the-Buffy tirade," Xander spit out venomously, he had been more than pissed when Buffy had reacted to Spike's death the way she did.

"Shut up, Xander," Tara hissed at him, in a way that had the man blinking in surprise at her especially when her lover held the same resolve.

"People against the unethical treatment of Spike have spoken," he said behind his teeth.

"Welcome back... aren't you?" Giles peered at him.

"Lord Perling," Buffy answered, wiping her tears from her face. "One in the same."

"Yes, of course... so I suppose you know..."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "That we all missed him!" She tried to cover, it really wasn't the time to explain to Xander where babies came from.

"Yes, watcher," Spike held Giles' eyes and the older man nodded, communicating to each other. Willow and Tara got it and almost let out a sigh of relief.

"How is William?" Willow asked, coming closer to her friend and noticing for the first time how much blood Buffy and Spike had on them.

Buffy bit her lip and took a deep breath--she was being strong. "We don't know," Spike answered for her.

Giles nodded and took his glasses off, cleaning them automatically.

Xander sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "He's just a baby--"

"I need air," Buffy announced and walked out.

Xander was going to follow her but Giles held his arm and let Spike follow her outside.

"I think your daughter needs you," the old watcher told him.

_Heal yourself  
Heal yourself_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You can't be serious!" Jack pleaded with Riley.

"Riley, honey--what's going on. Who's car is outside?" Sam asked from the other side of the door then tried to open it.

It was locked.

Riley looked at Jack with desperation--very willing to throw him out the window if need be.

"Riley are you okay?" Sam asked now worried--Riley never locked his door.

"Get out of my house," Riley told Jack, shoving him towards the window.

"But--"

The door was kicked in with a powerful 'thud'.

Sam stood in attack position despite her night gown outfit ready to kill.

"Jack?" she asked confused.

"He was just leaving," Riley told her quickly.

"Why are you here? Why is he here?" she asked them both.

"He--"

"I--"

"Why didn't you answer the door?" she asked confused.

Both men started fussing and tittering.

"What is going on around here?"

"Mommy?" a small little voice was heard in the hall.

A small brown haired girl with a long white t-shirt for a PJ and a ragged doll in her arms padded into view.

"Take her upstairs and wait for me, I'll be right up," Riley told his wife.

"But--"

"Go now!" he cried.

The girl started crying. "Why daddy mean?"

Sam cradled her daughter and glared at her husband. "Up in five."

Riley nodded and gulped--he knew that look.

The men watched as Sam took Kimberly upstairs and waiting until she closed the door.

Riley quickly grabbed Jack and pushed him out his house.

"You can't just throw me out there! This is all not me!" Jack pleaded.

"This is all about you--you stayed you went beyond what we were ordered to do," he shoved him out the door, letting him stumble down the wet steps. "Spike and Buffy are your problem now."

With that he closed the door on Jack's face, leaving the man outside in the rainy night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_If you really love me  
You'd find me_

He found her outside by where the smokers sat. She was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, buried inside his overcoat.

He sat next to her, looking out on the night.

Silence surrounded them.

"When you were gone things were so simple... and I wished they weren't so..." she looked at him, tears spilling down her face. "Maybe I brought this upon myself... upon him..." she looked so lost but he waited--she needed to get this out. "I should've never let Jack into the picture, had only known..."

"Shhh, luv," he coaxed. "I was dead to you the same way you were dead to me."

Buffy shook her head. "I feel so young and foolish... I've never felt this young."

She looked out into the night. "I knew he was a bastard," she spitted out. "But I never knew what type of bastard he was."

"Understandable," Spike nodded.

"But unacceptable."

Spike looked at her.

"He's gonna make it, you know," Spike whispered to her, running his hands through her damp hair.

"He has to," she whispered back.

"If he's indeed a child of prophesy--which is the only he could've been. He has to live," she almost told herself. "Even with you here... I don't know if I could live without him, Spike--he's my baby." her bottom lip started to tremble. "He's our baby, Spike--the one thing that was proof you existed all these years!"

"Shhh-- I know," Spike pulled her to him, his own heart wrenching.

"Buffy! Spike!"

They jumped off each other at Dawn's sharp voice.

"It's William," she told them, breathlessly and then ran inside, both blondes after her.

_Though he never had a reason to leave them  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad  
Every second has a season, he tells them  
But he made them look bad, made them look bad_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC.... (sweet B/S moments *bg*)


	23. All in the Family

**All in the Family**--part 21 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: I know you all want Jack dead but he has to deal with some issues--plus let him cower in fright for a while, he deserves it *eg*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They ran to find a waiting doctor in sweats with a clipboard in his hand as he wrote something furiously that would probably turn out to be in chicken scratch.

"Is he okay?" was the first thing that Buffy blurted out when she did a quick halt in front of him.

He looked at her with a short glance and continued writing.

"Are you the mother?" he asked her, not looking at her.

Buffy wriggled her hands together. "Yes, Buffy Su--I mean, Marshall."

"Mrs. Marshall I need your consent to take William into surgery right now, I can only tell you that it looks really bad--he's lost tremendous amounts of blood but he's a strong little guy," he looked up at her smiled, a small plastic-like-smile. "I can only tell you to hope for the best and expect the worst."

"What do you mean by worst?" Spike asked, beside her.

The young doctor arched his eyebrow at him. "And you're the...?"

"Father," Spike gulped, in the background Xander fainted. "I'm his father."

"Okay, then --all in the family, I see--we could be in surgery for a few hours, we need to make sure he's stable before we leave." he then looked at Buffy seriously. "There is a probability that he might die in surgery, I can only do my best but if the damage is beyond my control then there is nothing we can do."

"I think your best will do--William is not dying tonight," Buffy told him.

The doctor nodded and signaled for a waiting nurse to come forward with the paperwork. "Please sign the release form and I'll see you in a few hours."

They watched him walk away and through the glass doors.

~~~~~~~~

She saw him sitting outside, counting the pebbles in the street, piling them in different places. The whites were to the right, the dark ones were to the left.

She would've sat down next to him but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"They haven't called your name yet," she told him.

He looked up at her, there was still caked blood on his face. "I don't know why I have to see a doctor, I've been hurt more badly than this."

She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her slim hips. "Then don't see a doctor, have a concussion for all I care!"

He looked down and gulped.

"I'm sorry, Dawn... for making you care," he said after a while of piling street pebbles.

She shrugged, pretending her heart wasn't breaking. "I'm used to heart break," she lied--this was actually the first guy that had really done it for her.

"Are you?" he asked her, not containing the large wave of jealousy that ran over him. "Who was it?" Now his jaw was clenching and unclenching.

She smirked. This was her moment to get back at him--she could care less if she was being childish. "Well... his name was, hum... his name was Larry... Larry Montgomery. He was a sophomore and I was a freshman in UCLA... he was a pre-law major and completely sweet and cute." Larry had been sweet and cute but he had also been gay and one of the greatest friends she had made. "We were inseparable... me and Larry."

Lugo dug his dirty finger in the ground, until it hurt his skin. "Did you love him?"

Dawn nodded. "Very much."

He took a deep breath. "What happened?"

"He transferred to NYU... liked the east coast better," she said softly, not lying this time.

Lugo stood up abruptly and started to pace in front of her.

"Everything is messed up! Zeru's heir might not live, that--that--bastard is still out there and you will never be able to look at me the same way again!" he ranted.

"Would you really have kept that from me?" she asked, a bit miffed. "Did you think it wasn't important?"

"I do, Dawn, of course I do think it's important!"

"But not important enough to tell me! You're married, for Christ-sakes! You have a daughter!" her eyes were watering now." she bit her lip. "That alone prevents us from being together."

"I cannot choose who my heart falls in love with," he insisted.

"But your words dictate your actions--and by your words were you married, therefore it makes you a liar, a fake and a bad candidate for love," she said, now standing and facing him. "One cannot live by the heart, the heart does not change reality... and reality is the truth and truth is your most valuable commodity."

He gaped at her.

"What are you saying Dawn?" he whispered.

"That if you loved me, if you truly loved me... you wouldn't have lied." she smiled. "And I wouldn't have lied."

"You lied?" he asked, confused.

She smiled--sadly, nodded, and walked back in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 4:15AM by the time the doctor came back out of surgery. They had been moved to a private waiting room because the media was swarming all around the hospital.

Buffy was curled up together with Spike on a sofa as he softly stroked her hair, trying to ease the tension for them both.

Willow and Tara were fast asleep with Dawn at their feet.

Xander had taken Anya and the baby home after he was basically told to shut up about Spike by Giles.

Giles had some books on the table and was fast asleep over one of the texts.

It was basically Buffy and Spike who were still awake but too tired to speak when the doctor came in.

Buffy jumped from the sofa and strode over to the doctor, Spike at her heels.

"Perhaps we should sit down?" he offered.

"We've been sitting for hours," she told him, anxiously. Somehow this gave her a nasty flashback of when her mother got sick.

"Right... I have to tell you that in all of my medical profession I have never seen a case like William's," he said, rather proudly.

"How is he?" she asked, cutting him off.

"He's about 65% recovered.... in a period of what? 6 hours?" he told them puzzled.

"He's healing fast?" Spike asked, confused.

The doctor laughed. "Well I'm not saying he's some type of a superman but the little guy has got his cells obviously working overtime--I mean, by the time we went to surgery the main organs had all but completely healed. It's amazing!"

Buffy let out a sigh of relief and had to laugh.

Spike wrapped his arms around her from behind and smiled into her hair in relief.

"He went into a coma on me, for about forty-five minutes but promptly woke up, he was in pain, obviously but we gave him something for that and he's completely stable, sleeping like a baby."

"Can we see him?" she asked, quickly.

He nodded. "He's no longer in ICU, so both of you are welcomed to come.... family members can come in later 5 minutes at the time."

Buffy was ready to bolt for the door when he placed his hand up. "Please try to not to say anything negative, positive words is what he needs to hear. If you feel you might loose your control take it outside, he can still slip easily into a coma, he's small body has been through a lot these past few hours."

Buffy nodded, vigorously.

"Follow me then."

They did as he led them down a quiet darkened hall. Patients were connected by various devices and could be seen through glass doors. "Don't be frightened by the equipment around him, he needs it to stay stable."

Spike reached down and wrapped his hand around Buffy's not realizing how nervous and anxious he was himself.

"Here it is," the doctor told them. "Anything you need, Kimberly is the head nurse here she or any of the others would be glad to help you."

"Thanks, mate," Spike nodded and opened the door for Buffy.

She stepped and instantly gasped, her eyes watering. She had to be strong, she couldn't freak out, she couldn't freak out, she couldn't freak out.

It was just that... he looked so tiny underneath all the ... stuff... that was around him.

"Oh William...." she whispered, placing her hand on her mouth, preventing herself from crying out.

He had a cut above his left eye where he had fallen and hit the floor, his arms were in a temporary upper body cast, preventing him from moving. There were tubes up his little nose and coming out of his small hospital gown--his other arm was swollen because of the IV in it.

"C'mon, luv--you've got to be strong," Spike said, trying to hold back the nausea at seeing him like that.

She nodded. "Right, strong."

They walked to his bed, Buffy standing on his right and Spike on his left, the only noise in the room was the steady and strong heart monitor that indicated he was still alive.

Buffy leaned down and kissed his forehead, then his small nose--making him wriggle it in his sleep.

"Mommy's here, baby," she whispered.

He stirred, eyes still closed. "Mommy?" he asked, in a hoarse whisper.

This brought tears to Buffy's eyes. "Hey, my darling--you're doing wonderful."

His blue eyes opened to look at her, still drowsy from the pain medication. "I'm sorry, mommy."

"Shhhh, no more of that--you rest and get better, okay?" she asked him, running her hand down his small chubby cheek.

"It hurted," he told her.

"Does it hurt now?" she asked, looking at Spike desperately.

He shook his head. "They gave me a shot."

She smiled at him. "You're so brave, baby--mommy is really proud of you."

He smiled. "I didn't cry."

"I bet you didn't," she kissed his cheek.

"Where's daddy?" he asked, yawning.

"Right here, bitty bad," Spike spoke up. William turned to look at him.

"I found you, daddy," he said, his eyes closing in exhaustion.

"Yeah, you did," Spike asked, not quite familiar with the feeling building up in his chest--a mixture between worry and relief and complete happiness.

"Don't go 'way again," he pleaded.

Spike leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Not going anywhere, William."

William smiled and finally gave into his sleep, snoring softly.

Buffy took a deep breath, wrapping her hand around his smaller one, wanting desperately to climb up in bed with him and hold him tightly.

"You think he's got healing powers?" Spike asked her. She looked up at him.

"There's no other explanation... that shot would've killed him," she gulped and looked down at him again, kissing his hand and his forehead once more.

Spike nodded and looked around the room, he spotted a large chair and pulled it to the bed.

"Why don't you get some sleep, I'll watch over him," Spike told her.

She shook her head. "I can't sleep--not with him like this."

"You're no good to him exhausted." he insisted.

Buffy kissed William's hand once more and placed it gently over his stomach then turned to look at Spike. She still had trouble believing he was there--even more she had trouble believe that he'd ever been gone.

"You owe me a long explanation," she whispered and sat down on the chair, turning so that she was still watching William.

Spike, finding nowhere to sit, sat down on the floor next to her and looked at William also.

"I'm sorry you had to do it all by yourself..." he told her after a while.

"I didn't mind... it would've been nicer to have you here," she looked down at him. "But having you here right now is perfect also."

He took a deep breath, a part of him was relaxed that William was doing perfectly well and another part of him wanted to hunt down Jack for doing this.

"Tell me about him... what is he like," Spike pleased, looking up at her.

She smiled. "He's shy--very shy. He likes to write and draw, he also loves to play with his toys--never had many friends."

Spike smiled as he studied his child.

"He gets picked on at school and has come home crying various times..." Spike looked at her alarmed. "Because of his glasses. They call him names..."

"I get that," he whispered.

She grinned. "Remind you of someone?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "This is surreal. Too good to be for me."

"Well he's all yours, believe me he is--you can't deny it. He has your eyes, your facial expressions, your hair, your soul..."

He looked back up at her, disturbed.

"Sometimes I really think he's William..." she looked at her son. "William the Bloody Awful Poet."

"He's not," now Spike stood up, aggravated and started pacing.

She studied him for a while and let him vent out his frustrations with the floor.

"And he's perfect," she whispered.

He stopped and looked at her. "Pet, you don't understand--William was a --a --..."

"A what?" Buffy demanded. "Loving, kind, truthful, a dreamer... well William is all of that and more--he's got that Spike spice in him and he's got my attitude."

"I didn't mean to insult him--"

"Well you did." she turned away from him. "He's mine, and I love him just that way. Not because it was all of you I had left or because he's flesh of my flesh but because in those moments when I was feeling most alone he wrapped those little arms around me and told me that he loved me and that everything was going to be alright."

"Buffy I didn't--"

"Save it, Spike. I think it's about time you accepted that William is part of you, he never died. And all that was good about you has been poured into this little soul," she looked at him. "He's perfect."

"I know he is, luv--I know it. Being with 'im for only a while and I wanted to take all his pain away..." he sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I can't tell you everything will be perfect between us--"

"I'm not asking you to," she told him. "I accepted reality a long time ago."

"Jack is still out there," he told her.

"The police are looking for him," she reminded him.

"Then I have to find him before they do," Spike said, looking down at his child and rubbing his belly, lightly.

"Spike, please--" Buffy started.

He snapped at her. "Please what? Let him live?"

Her eyes narrowed. "He's human!"

"So is William," Spike reminded her.

She took a deep breath, pulling her legs up under her until her chin rested on her knees. "Please don't kill him... not because I love him because I don't... but because William is not going to have a daddy that murdered the man he called father."

"What are you saying, Buffy?" he asked her, his eyes narrowing.

She met his eyes. "You kill him and you don't came back to me... you don't come back to William. If you leave here with intentions of killing him, you can look at William one last time."

Their eyes met.

He sighed.

"Fine... I wont kill 'im." he glared at her. "Though he damn well deserves it."

She smiled, stood up and walked up to him. "I know."

They stood in front of each other, temptatively.

Now they were not greeting each other, or comforting each other.

What they did now was out of their own will.

She reached out, and lightly ran her hand down his chest.

He inhaled sharply.

Her eyes traveled up his black-clad-chest and to his neck.

He watched as her hand traveled up his shirt. She paused to play with a button.

Pushed the button aside and touched his cool flesh.

He inhaled sharply.

"How long will you be gone," she asked shyly, though shyness was nowhere hear her fingers, as they naughtily slipped between two buttons and found the hard smoothness of his chest.

"Hummm...I..." two fingers slipped into his shirt. "Buffy..."

She smiled and leaned in, pulling those fingers out. "Just letting you know what's waiting for you."

He looked down at her smiling face, her hair softly tickling his forearm. "Like I could forget."

They stared at each other for sometime, studying each other's face, the lips, the eyes, the eyebrows.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" he whispered.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Never--ever--ask me that!" she slammed her hand over his chest. He instinctively grabbed her hand and twisted it behind her back, pulling her flush against his chest.

Now she was panting lightly.

Eyes locked.

He didn't wait another minute as he reached down as grabbed her bottom lip, biting it and lightly rolling it between his teeth.

She moaned into him, closing her eyes and letting herself drown.

Her free hand moving up to his face and running it along the nape of his neck, letting her fingers play with the baby hair there.

He closed his eyes as he felt her response and took that opportunity to let his tongue dip into her waiting mouth, running it on top of the smoothness of her teeth, letting his tongue make friction with hers as small taste buds connected once more with each other--remembering the taste from so long ago.

Now it was him that was moaning, letting go of her pinned arm and wrapping both of his around her small frame.

Her hands grabbed his face, wanting him closer, his scent, his feel, his hardness...

"No kissing!"

They both jumped, panting, and trembling.

They snapped around and looked at William who was staring at them with a scowl on his face. "Coodies!"

Buffy bit her bottom lip and chuckled, letting Spike wrap his hands around hers. He pulled her in, chuckling with her and kissed the top of her head.

"Mommies and daddies can kiss," Buffy told her son.

He was still not convinced, glared at them despite his prone condition.

Spike wrapped his arms around her and gently rocked her. "You'll like it when you're older."

William made a face. "I'm not kissing mommy like that!"

Buffy burst out laughing, hiding her face in Spike chest--letting him handle this situation.

"Well, of course not--but one day you'll find a nice girl with pretty breast--"

"Spike!" Buffy scolded him, completely shocked that he would speak of that. "You're perverting him!"

Spike laughed and kissed her chastely once more. "Better to hear it from me than from someone else."

"What's perteting?" William asked, confused.

"Perverting, love," Buffy corrected him. "And you don't repeat that word until you're 16."

"What happens at 16?" he asked, still curious as to why they couldn't keep their hands off each other--eyeing them warily.

"You'll be a walking testimony of that word," Spike told him then looked at Buffy. "I'll be back."

She studied him. "I hope so."

"Why is daddy leaving?" William asked, in the verge of tears.

Spike and Buffy walked to his bed, Spike leaned in. "Here," he took off his watch. William grabbed the watch with his IV'ed hand and studied the Rolex. "When it's 6PM I'll be back."

"It's 6AM now," William informed him.

Spike smiled. "Can you give me 12 hours?"

William looked up at him and studied him. Then nodded. "But I don't want to be alone."

"I'm staying with you, baby," Buffy reassured him, kissing his head once more.

William was still looking at Spike. "Can you bring me back Piglet?"

Spike grinned. "I think I can arrange that."

William smiled back.

Spike looked at Buffy and took her hands, kissing her. "Worry not, pet."

He walked away from his family and started for the door.

"Daddy!"

He instantly stopped and looked back at them. "I love you, Daddy."

Spike couldn't help but smile, way too much emotion for him in these past few hours.

"Love you too, Niblin'," he said then walked out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles was completely asleep when a nurse softly shook him.

He woke up in confusion.

"Mr. Rupert Giles?" she asked him quietly, trying not to wake the rest of the room.

"Yes," he asked, fixing his glasses.

"You have a phone call," she told him.

He nodded and in shaky legs followed her.

He thanked her and picked up the receiver at the nurses' station. "Hello?"

"Rupert?"

He shivered at the electronic voice in the receiver. "Who's this?" he asked.

"That doesn'tt matter, look in the book 'Origins and Facts of the Slayer', page 546. Only there shall you find the truth."

Then the line went dead.

"Hello," he clicked on the dial. "Hello?"

The line was completely dead.

He set down the phone and thanked the nurse once more. His brain racing, he walked to the books he had on top of his table.

There, on top, laid 'Origins and Facts of the Slayer'--he did not own this book and it had not been there when he left.

Looking around the room he saw Tara, Willow and Dawn fast asleep.

He carefully opened the first page.

Written in 652, translated to English in 1475.

He turned to page 546 and perched his glasses when he saw that a paragraph had been highlighted in green.

Who would highlight such a valuable book?

Regardless he picked it up and read the script.

"The only way for a Slayer not stop being a Slayer and leave her calling is by death--no other way is known to man, and those who said that they have found one lie. The powers deem whom is to be the Slayer and only in death will they take it away," he whispered to himself.

_'And those who said that they have found one lie...'_ he thought to himself. Then dropped the book like wildfire and walked down the hall to talk to Buffy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TBC....


	24. Of Mice and Men

**Of Mice and Men** (part 22 of Island of Galleno)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The ending of the chapter was inspired by The Princess Bride and it was not an attempt to rape the idea simply to glorify it.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: This part might be a bit dark but there's always a storm after a nice day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I see PRIDE, I see POWER, I see a bad-ass mother who won't take no CRAP off of NOBODY!" _Cool Runnings_ (1993)

They say that if you know that you're a madman then you're really quite sane.

He didn't know he was a madman.

Driving down the L.A. streets like the devil was after him, calculating in his head 101 strategic plans to get away, to escape and still win the ballot.

He had not bothered to stop and listen to the radio and how every cop in L.A. was after him.

His sweaty palms slipped from the wheel, didn't see red lights and ran right past them, until the point when he had caused 3 major accidents and almost hit 4 pedestrians.

He had three cops on his tail but he didn't hear them, he didn't see the flashing lights and he didn't see he was almost going 107.

It was not cops after him, it was not sirens, it was pure sin and guilt, sin and guilt that drove him to a place he knew no one knew.

He grinned as he turned sharply, his jeep getting lost amongst a jeep fair that was happening on 107th street.

He confused the cops and grinned as his sin disappeared, he was home free... free to escape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow snapped her eyes opened and looked around widely as someone shook her lightly.

"Red, wake up, wake up, Red."

"Spike?" she murmured then remembered what had happened. "William? How is he?"

"He's fine, listen I need your help--you and Glinda's." he stated quickly, probing Tara awake.

"What's going on?" she asked, sleepily.

"I need you to do a location spell for me, can you do that?"

Willow nodded sleepily and looked at Tara who nodded at her. "Who is it for?"

"Jack--I need to find 'im before the cops do," he said, quickly, taking off his coat and leaving him in a still stained black sweater and black slacks.

Both witches looked at him unsure. He groaned. "I'm not going to kill 'im--I promised Buffy I wasn't, just wanna have some words with him."

"Ok...if Buffy knows about it I supposed it's fine," Tara agreed.

"We'll need something that belongs to him... do you have anything?" Willow asked him.

Spike sighed and shook his head.

"I do."

They all turned, a bit startled to look at Dawn who had a gun in her hands, wrapped in a cloth.

Spike gulped back the urge to use it on it's owner.

"Where did you get that?" Spike asked her.

"He dropped it... in my apartment," she looked down and unconsciously touched her bruised cheek.

"Did he--" Spike roared, seeing her bruise.

"He did--But Ricardo came just in time, I'm okay, really," she insisted.

Spike took a deep breath and closed his eyes to calm himself down.

"Put it in the middle here, Dawny," Tara told her gently, smiling enquiringly at her.

Dawn did as she was told.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Buffy?"

The blonde took her eyes off her sleeping son and turned to look at Giles, she smiled.

"He was asking for you," she told him.

Giles smiled--quite relieved that William seemed fine despite how pale he looked on the bed. "How is he?"

Buffy took a deep breath and nodded. "Better--much better.... we think--Spike and me that is, we think he has accelerated healing powers."

Giles gapped at her. "Are you sure?"

"That bullet would've killed him, Giles--it went right through him at close range." Buffy went back to caressing William's face and kissing his small hand. "And now, a few hours later, he's waking up and asking for Gummy Bears."

Giles chuckled and walked next to William, smiling down at the small child who was looking in his sleep for his security blanket and his stuffed toys.

"Where's Spike?" he asked her.

Buffy sighed and looked down. "He's going after him."

Giles' eyes widened. "Jack?"

Buffy nodded. "He promised me he wouldn't kill him," she looked back up at her watcher. "I think something's wrong with me--I would normally want him dead for doing what he did...if I hadn't seen his face when he realized what he'd done to William...."

Giles reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I am sure Spike will give him what he deserves."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike jumped in the jeep as Lugo made a hasty stop in front of the doors of the emergency waiting area.

"1524 South Bennett Street," he told him quickly.

"Wait!"

Both Spike and Lugo turned to see a running Dawn coming out from the hospital.

"What is it, Nibblet?" Spike asked her, obviously in a hurry.

She grabbed on to the door and looked at both of them. "Be careful."

Spike smiled at her. "We will."

"Don't do anything Buffy might want to stake you for, please?"

Spike chuckled. "I know."

"Good." She smiled. "Kick his ass for me."

"As you wish," Lugo said and nodded then hit the gas.

Inside, Spike pulled out a duffle bag from underneath the seat and opened it. Inside were all types of guns and ammunitions, knifes and torture devices.

"Are we looking for a clean sweep?" Lugo asked him, eyeing him wearily.

"Nope," Spike told him, curtly.

Lugo nodded and kept his eyes on the road. "Then what are all these goodies for?"

Spike smirked and held up a wicked looking knife, winking at Lugo. "There are worse things than death."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley hung up the phone on Giles. He took a deep breath and drank a quick gulp of his sherry.

"Can we talk?"

He groaned internally.

Ok, so he had done some mistakes in the past--but everything was different now. He had a family, he had a little girl, he wasn't young and a bit jealous now. He hadn't even thought about Buffy in the past 4 years!

"About what, Sam?" he asked his wife who stood behind him in her bathrobe with her loose chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back.

"Don't make yourself out to be the innocent, Finn," she hissed at him. "I saw the news--Jack Marshall is on every channel for attempted murder of his five-year old son." She stood to face him off. "He tried to kill his son and you let him in here with your wife and daughter?!"

Riley set down his glass with a loud 'thud'. "I didn't know what he had done! Do you really think I would've let him in here if I had known he'd totally lost it, Sam?"

Sam shook her head. "Why did he come here, Ri'? We hardly knew him, what exactly happened with Buffy that you're not telling me?"

Riley clenched his jaw. "Nothing, Sam... even if it did I was a different man then..."

"So something did happen," she stated, crossing her arms across her chest.

Riley looked around, jaw still clenching. "It's classified, soldier."

A right hook got him on the left side of his jaw. "Don't give me that bullshit!"

Riley grabbed his throbbing jaw and looked at his wife in disbelief. "What the--"

"I'm leaving, Riley. I'll take my daughter and leave if you so much as place her in the line of fire. I don't want a pissed off Slayer after me and my child."

"I never meant to, I mean I didn't know..."

Her eyes threw draggers at him. "I'm leaving, this is your mess."

She turned quickly and climbed the stairs, Riley followed her. She entered their room and took out a suit case, and began placing things in.

"Were are you going?" Riley asked her, hushed--not wanting to wake their daughter.

"I'm going to my sister's." she didn't look up at him as she slipped on sweats and grabbed sneakers.

"Sam for god's sake!"

"What, Riley?" she confronted him. "What are you going to say to make it better? Obviously you and Jack did something under the table and if after 6 years of marriage you don't trust me enough to tell me these vital things...then I don't know you, I don't know you at all."

Riley grabbed her upper arms. "It's in the past."

She wriggled out of his grip. "And it's obviously coming for our future."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy exited the room and waited for Giles to be out before carefully closing the door behind them. She shivered at the coldness of the hospital and rubbed her upper arms.

"What is it, Giles?"

The older man looked terrible, his hair was disheveled and a frown creased his brow.

"Humm... the thing is, Buffy..."

"Giles," the blonde told him, impatiently, it made him smile thinking about how her patience had not changed since the first time he had met her.

"I just figured something out," he told her slowly, taking his glasses off and cleaning them against his shirt.

"And from what it looks like it's a something that's a big something," she pursued.

"Right so," he nodded. "I... Buffy," he looked down at her expecting eyes and sighed. "I think you might still be the Slayer."

Her eyes got wide and she gaped at him. "Huh?"

"You see, I just found this text on the origins of Slayers and it stated that once a Slayer, always a Slayer... the only ones who have the right to take that away are the powers that be and they only take by killing you....by ending your life."

"What are you saying, Giles?" she whispered.

"I'm saying... that you're still the Slayer." Giles looked at her doubtfully.

"But... but--but my powers, Giles, I'm a normal woman. I don't have the strength, the healing, nothing!" she explained.

"Remember when the council tested your abilities?" he asked her, looking down.

Her eyes widened more. "Who would..."

"The council has been known to work with outside forces before... by all means necessary." he whispered. "Including government agencies."

"Are you saying..." she gulped, all being too much for her to take. "Are you saying my marriage is a fake?"

"What I'm saying Buffy is that not everything is what it seems."

She was shaking--it was all too much. She had been played. And played rightfully well. She felt like her life was crumbling before her. Spike, William, Jack, Slayerhood...

"I have to go--stay with him, please and maybe Tara or Dawn could come in too," she told him, gripping his upper arms.

"Where are you going--"

"I need your keys," he reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys. "Stay with him," that's all she said before running down the hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lugo pulled up to the large mansion and Spike jumped out of the car, bag in hand. When the young man made a move to follow him Spike held up his hand to stop him.

"It's my fight, Lugo--stay here and make sure no one disrupts us."

Lugo nodded reluctantly and watched Spike go up the steps, open the door and disappear inside.

Inside the mansion was large and decorated in the latest decor with ivory walls and ivory furniture. Many mirrors and paintings of abstract art that Spike would guess that were originals.

He stood still listening to his surroundings, just like Archie had taught him.

"Nature tells you what she's feeling, what is coming, when it's coming and from where it's coming..." he said slowly, hypnotic. "The wind moves with the object and the tiniest noise can be heard from an astute vampire."

And there it was. The tiniest movement, the lowest sound, the clue of the prey.

Spike grinned and placed down his bag. He silently took out his sword, and walked towards what looked like to be the main living room of the mansion.

Carefully, his back straight, attuned to any noise he pulled up his sword when he saw Jack before him. Standing on the other side of the room, sword in hand, grinning at him also.

"I though you might come for me," he told the vampire.

"I though you might be waiting," Spike answered him back.

The brunette slashed his sword in the air in perfect position. "I won first place in the National championship for swordsmanship when I went to West Point."

Spike chuckled. "Is that so? Of all the things that I expected to find here I never thought it might be a pissing contest."

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you," Jack grinned.

Spike took the sword in his right hand and placed himself in position.

"En guard," Jack hissed then jumped at Spike.

Spike ducked him and dueled to the right, then to the left both times Jack protected him self. They jumped over a sofa, Spike blocking a left hit, ducking and rolling to the floor, landing standing up and reaching for Jack.

Jack charged at him but Spike threw a pillowcase at him and rolled out of the way.

Jack nodded. "Not bad, old man."

"Not so bad yourself, young man." Spike smirked then attacked him, making Jack hit his back against the wall and crack the painting that was on it, it fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"That was a fifty thousand dollar painting!" Jack hissed at him.

"Not yours I presume."

Jack glared at him and attacked him once more, Spike and Jack continued dueling, both rolling out of the way, jumping on furniture, crashing mirrors and vases.

Spike shoved Jack out of the way making the man roll on the floor, Jack taking the opportunity to grab a piece of shattered mirror from the floor.

As Spike prepared to hit him, Jack pulled out the glass and threw it like a butter knife in the air, hitting and embedding the knife in the vampire's shoulder.

Spike screamed and clutched his shoulder.

Jack chuckled and stood up. "So who's winning now?" he grinned and took another piece from the floor, throwing at Spike, hitting him in his abdomen.

The vampire fell forward, trying to prevent the blood from gushing out of his stomach.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Buffy jumped out of Giles' car and ran to her front door.

"Senora what is happening?" her maid asked her as soon as she walked in. Buffy continued running to Jack's office.

"I need to be alone," she told her and shut the large oak door behind her.

She took a deep breath and walked over to his desk. She took out the large drawers and started emptying them, sorting through their contents.

Nothing, no pills, no potions, nothing. She sighed and wiped her forehead, looking around the room at any other possible places.

Jack had a collection of many books, none of which she had ever seen him read.

She stepped forwards and started picking up books, throwing them on the floor when she saw they were normal.

The first bookshelf continued uneventful but on the third book of the second when she pulled out 'The Prince' she jumped at the noise it made. She let it go and turned her head at the sound of the noise.

The wall that used to contain his family black and white photos opened up into a trap door. She narrowed her eyes and walked into it.

She gasped at the inside of the tiny room.

It was coated from wall to wall with small white pills bottles, pictures... pictures of her sleeping, bathing William when he was younger, laughing in the park with him when she had though she had been by herself. Pictures of her bathing!

She grabbed the photos and ripped them. "You son of a bitch!"

She grabbed one of the pill bottles. The label read: Tranquilizer.

Many of them were empty and had old expiration dates, the ones she presumed she had already eaten and excreted.

She threw them on the floor with rage. On the side of the room was a computer, she promptly turned it on, sorting through pictures of William in different stages of his life while it turned on.

Until she got to one picture... it was Spike.

Spike walking in the cemetery, her and Spike kissing, her and Spike having sex in the grass, her and Spike kissing on her back porch. Spike being hit with a club, Spike in an operation room. Spike having his chip removed.

She gulped.

Spike being tied and thrown out of a 'copter.

Spike living in the island, walking in the day light, training with a red headed man, fighting in what seemed to be a cage. Spike all bloody and killing a demon.

She put them down, unable to believe what had happened all these years.

The computer prompted her for his password.

She sighed.

"I would try our address but too easy," she still typed it and laughed when it accepted it. "Not very smart are you Jack?"

She started sorting through his files until she came upon one that interested her. 'MarriageAgreement.doc'

She opened it and gasped.

There was no marriage.

It was a fake.

She read the passage three times to make sure it was right.

"Oh god...."

Turning on the printer on the side of the monitor she hit 'print'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike slowly became aware that he was indeed being stabbed more times than it was healthy for a vampire to be. So when that knife came down again he grabbed the wrist of the attacker and twisted it.

Satisfied when he heard a loud snap and a scream he shoved him back.

Jack stared stunned at Spike then back at his broken wrist.

Spike stood up and picked up his sword once more.

"It ends here," he told him.

Jack smiled, despite the pain in his right hand. "Ends? What would the lovely Slayer think if you killed her husband of six years, huh?"

Spike stopped. "There are worst things than death."

Jack nodded, satisfied and picked up his sword with his left hand.

"Something I didn't tell you," Spike told him as they clashed swords.

"What's that?" the man asked, blocking a hit.

Spike smiled. "I'm not right handed." he threw his sword in the air and took it with his left hand, swashing it in the air.

Jack blocked as Spike took the attacker's position and the man tried all he could with his left hand to block the quick and precise hits by the vampire.

They moved into the study and they dodged each other, took down book cases, broke more tables until Jack was finally up against the wall, Spike his left wrist with his sword. The man screamed and dropped his sword, cradling both his hands against his chest as he breathed hard.

Spike held the sword against his throat and in a quick switch scraped Jack's left cheek. Jack hissed and backed up further.

"Offer me money," the vampire said, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, please all that I have--my parents they also have some." he begged, sword still at his throat.

"Offer me everything I want!" Spike growled at him, his demon merging.

"Even Buffy--we were never even married!" the man whimpered. "Anything you want, please!"

Spike leaned in close to Jack's face, lowering his sword to point it at Jack's belly.

"I want these past six years back, you son of a bitch!"

And with that he rammed his sword right through the man, shiskebobbing him on the book shelf.

Jack screamed, his eyes never leaving Spike's then they slowly closed, his head hanging and he stopped breathing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

TBC.... (sorry for the wait, RL really got hectic but here it is *g*)

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	25. Voices in Sea Shells

**Voices in Sea Shells**--part 23 of _The Island of Galleno_ (Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. The ending of the chapter was inspired by The Princess Bride and it was not an attempt to rape the idea simply to glorify it.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

A/N: WOW--I can't believe I'm done with this baby *g* I want to take a moment out to thank each and every single one of you guys that took time out to let me know that you were enjoying the fiction, I don't always have time to write everyone back but the support is appreciated. A warm big thank you to Heller, my awesome beta who corrected these parts in a flash and was my biggest cheerleader. To Hilary to always got me back up when I felt writer's block coming, to all my lovely posters at Crumbling Walls--you guys are awesome and I adore each and everyone of you guys *xoxoxox* to the lovely ladies at BBB who always make me promise them I'll have a happy ending, you see, Niteall, I can do it *lol* And the feed backers at fanfiction.net that even though I never email them they crack me up with their comments. I know some of you might never forgive me for shooting William but look--happy ending, that's enough, right? *eg* Thanks, guys!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He got into Lugo's jeep in a type of mechanical act.

Open door, ignore questioning eyes, sit, lean back, close eyes and sweat it out.

"Where to, Zeru?" Lugo asked the man, looking at his wounds wearily.

Spike took some time to answer. "The house, I have to pick something up for my son...since it's the last time I'll see him."

Lugo was beyond confused. "Zeru..."

"I killed 'im..." he took a deep breath, holding on to his gaping stomach wound. "I killed 'im." He repeated.

Lugo watched as Spike's face turned away from him and pressed his forehead against the car window.

Rain started falling softly all over the region. Large soft pellets that clouded the sky, and made driving difficult.

It took them over an hour to get to Spike's house.

Spike hadn't moved since they left, his blood was slowly spreading all over the car seat and floor.

"We're here, Zeru," Lugo spoke softly, speaking for the first time since they left the Senator's mansion.

Spike opened his eyes and groaned painfully.

"We have to get you cleaned up," Lugo said finally, not being able to look at him like this anymore.

"No!" Spike hissed and thumped his head against the window, letting his discomfort wash over him. "I have to get there before... before she finds out."

"But Zeru..."

"Please..." Spike said, hoarsely. "Get my son's book bag from the hall."

Lugo studied his profile for some time, his throat was heavy. "Maybe one day she'll forgive you..." But Spike's face told him to shut up and let it go. The young man sighed and nodded, getting out of the car and entering the house.

He walked the corridors.

"Lugo?"

He turned towards the voice. He sighed when he saw it was Talsi.

"What happened?" the older man asked him. Lugo smiled a bit.

"You have been a faithful servant of Zeru--go in peace knowing that you have done your best," he told him.

"What? What are you talking about?" Talsi asked confused.

"Go home, Talsi--to your wife and your mother and your sons and daughters. Go home and know that you have fulfilled your purpose."

Talsi's eyes narrowed. "I will serve Zeru until the day I die, you understand? Who are you to dismiss me?"

"He's right, Talsi."

Both men spun around to watch a bloodied Spike leaning on the door frame.

"Zeru!" Talsi exclaimed.

"Go, my friend--you have done what you came for." Spike said through gritted teeth.

Talsi was outraged. "Zeru I will not!"

"You will!" Spike shouted then doubled over and fell face first on the floor.

"Zeru!"

Both men ran to Spike and rolled him on his back. Talsi quickly looked over the wounds.

"These wounds are cursed..." he whispered then looked at Spike's sweaty face. "He's dying, Lugo."

Lugo looked down desperately at Spike. "He's a vampire!"

Then Talsi sat back in realization. "The last of the prophesy says that by a mortal blade he shall die, end the torment of the walking dead."

"No!" Lugo shouted in defiance.

Talsi rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "How could we have forgotten such vital part."

Lugo continued trying to make the wounds stop bleeding but the blood was rushing right through his fingers.

"We must get him to the Slayer!" Lugo said finally, starting to pull Spike up.

"Are you sure?" Talsi asked a bit confused.

"Yes, yes--he did not wait all this time for her and her for him for them to be apart at such a moment--will you tell her that he died?"

Talsi nodded in agreement and began lifting Spike up.

As the two carried the almost unconscious vampire between them Fadma chose that moment to rush into the house.

"Oh no...." she said softly.

Lugo looked up at her. "We must take him to--"

"It's happening," she whispered almost desperately. "My father thought that it might be years before it would come to this."

"Well your calculations were not correct, Princess." Talsi grunted and pushed past her.

"Get William's book bag!" Lugo shouted at Fadma who was standing in the middle of the hall as if everything had been pulled from under her feet.

She shook herself out of her trance and ran to the hall to Spike's study. She paused midway, astounded at the amount of blood in the floor. "What the--"

Careful not to step in the blood she took the bloodied bag from the floor and ran out to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She felt safe in his arms, cool and comforted as if she could go on all night.

"I love you," she whispered hoarsely against his lips as their bodies slid together in a softening rhythm.

"Love you more," he murmured back, letting the waves of the after shocking pleasure wash over him.

She kissed his jaw and then moved down to lick his flat nipple. "I was thinking, now that Spike and Buffy are together--"

His nipple turned into blood before her eyes and next thing she knew she was sitting up and looking at Buffy who was kneeling in the floor, clutching a dying Spike in her arms. She was sobbing as if her life might end.

"Buffy--" Cordelia tried to reach her.

Then there were the sounds of a child screaming. "I want my daddy!"

Cordy looked to the other end of the room to watch William struggling against Giles' and Dawn's grasp as he tried to run to Buffy and Spike.

"William, no!" Dawn told him, herself crying.

"Cordelia!"

She shook her head and looked up at the face before her.

"Angel?" she asked, confused.

"What happened, you said Buffy." Angel held her by her upper arms.

"Oh god, Angel!" Cordelia murmured in horror. "He's going to die!"

"Who is?" Angel asked, already standing up from their bed and searching for his pants.

"Spike--"

"Spike?" Angel frowned. "He's already dead."

"I know, you dork--but this was for real... he was dying Angel, it was horrible." Cordelia buried her face in her hands.

"Hey--" Angel kneeled in front of her. "Cordy, honey--we're heading there now--it's only a few minutes away."

Cordelia looked up at him. "It's too late, Angel--it's too late."

"What?"

"I know it, Angel--it's too late." she sniffed, shutting her eyes against the images and the screams of a little boy.

"We're still trying, okay?" he asked in almost reassurance.

She nodded reluctantly and reached for her shirt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And they lived happily ever after," Giles concluded the story to a very pissed off William.

"That sucks!" he said indignantly.

Giles sighed and closed the book, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Why does it 'suck'?"

"Cause--it was too happy." the little boy huffed.

Giles put his glasses back on and studied the small body before him, in the short hours Buffy and Spike had been away he was almost in total recovery, sitting up, moving his arm, and of course snapping back at the older man.

"Some stories have a happy ending," Giles told him, patiently.

"That's not what my mom says, she says that sometimes a happy ending doesn't happen," William insisted.

"How's everything here?"

Both Giles and William turned to look Kimberly, she was smiling warmly at them. Kimberly had been William's nurse, she'd seen more of him than his doctor's combined and let him have some ice cream on the side without anyone noticing.

William smiled at her brightly. "Nurse Kimberly!"

"Hey William, I see you're feeling much better." she walked in.

"I am--I think I should go home." the small boy blinked innocently at her.

She chuckled. "Not for me to decide." she looked at Giles. "How are you Mr. Giles."

"Very well, thank you," Giles smiled at her. "Just getting a speech from a five year old about happy endings."

"Nurse Kimberly, why don't you tell Grandpa Giles that sometimes there's no happy endings," William smirked, which made Giles shift uncomfortably--he looked just like Spike.

"Well," she checked his stats while she talked and wrote on her clip board. "Life might not always have happy endings but sometimes you have to believe in them to make them happen."

William frowned.

Giles smiled triumphantly at the nurse.

"I'll update Dr. Schwinger on your progress," she smiled and walked out of the room.

"Told ya," Giles said uncharacteristically.

William tried not to grin and stuck out his tongue at him.

"William!"

The little boy looked stricken. "Sorry mom."

Buffy was standing in the doorway--having just witnessed the gesture. "It's not me whom you have to apologize to."

William swallowed and looked shyly up at Giles. "I'm sorry Grandpa Giles."

"It's quite alright," Giles soothed him and patted his small hand he turned to Buffy. "Find anything out?"

"Plenty," the Slayer said grimly and came into the room, handing Giles a manila folder filled with pictures and a brown paper bag filled with pills then went to William to kiss his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, tucking his hair behind his ear.

"Nurse Kimberly says I can go home," he smiled.

"Did she?" Buffy asked him skeptically.

"Well... she said she was going to think about it..." William bit his lip.

"Then we'll see what she says, okay?" Buffy asked him, pushing his fallen hair off his forehead and kissing him again as he squirmed.

"Good lord, Buffy--this is..." Giles looked over the pills and the pictures. "this is..."

"Freaky?" she helped.

Giles stammered and nodded. "Precisely."

Buffy sat on William's bed and placed his head against her chest. "Giles, I don't know what I should do." William sensed his mother's dark spirits and buried his face further in her chest, smelling her and trying to comfort her in any way he could.

"I'll contact the council immediately--"

"But they were the ones behind this, Giles! I mean, who else would know that my powers could be taken away?" she asked him in a hushed whisper. "Plus--they're the ones who informed you."

Giles nodded in agreement. "Agreed."

"Well... the Hellmouth is no longer in Sunnydale--you said it was in Deli, right?" she asked him.

"Yes, India." Giles agreed.

"How long do you think before these pills wear off?" she asked.

"You've been taking them for quite some time, it might be days, weeks, months--I don't know." Giles was sincere.

Buffy nodded. "Well, Giles--there's nothing left for me here in L.A... I guess I'll follow my calling." she told him after a while.

"You can't be serious...think of William, his normal life--"

"His normal life almost killed him... and considering what we've just found out about him...I don't want him to be surprised like I was, I want him to know what's out there." she looked down at her son who had been listening intently at the two adults for some time now. "It's time to stop being protector mom... you scared William?"

William shook his head quickly. "I'll fight, Mommy--I will."

She smiled and kissed his head.

"Will daddy come too?" he asked, hopeful.

"You want him to?" she asked him carefully.

He nodded. "Yes--"

The moment was cut off as Talsi, Lugo and Fadma came in carrying a barely conscious Spike between their arms.

"Spike!" Buffy leaped off from the bed.

From behind them came in the rest of the Scoobies, Dawn, Tara, Willow and Xander who had just gotten there after he had dropped Anya at home.

"What happened?" she asked desperately as she hovered over Spike, looking at his wounds.

"Place a barrier, honey," Tara encouraged Willow and the witch nodded.

_"Parte esterno luca melo_," she whispered softly over the door and watched as it was glossed over with a crystal blue glow.

Talsi and Lugo set Spike down on the floor, putting William's forgotten pillow under his head.

"What's wrong with daddy?" William asked as Giles held him back, peering over Buffy's shoulder.

"These wounds should be closing soon--he needs some fresh blood and some towels..." she looked up at the two men before. "He's a vampire--he can heal from this."

"In the time of darkness, when the shadows roam, in the time of hatred were the small ones weep, he who was chosen will meet his fate, to live forever, ............killed by a mortal blade."

Fadma whispered softly. "This is the last verse of the ancient prophesy.

Buffy looked down at Spike. "What are you saying?"

Lugo shrank back and pulled Talsi with him. "I'm sorry... we thought it wouldn't happen until years from now."

"Wait--he can't die," Dawn pushed herself in front of the people in the room. "I mean--he just got here."

"No one is dying, Dawn." Buffy hissed. "You obviously don't know me--I defy prophesies, I've died twice and look at me now, death does not mean total death."

"Or maybe he's just _mostly_ dead," Xander quipped from behind. "True love and all."

"_Calledus_," Tara whispered and watched with a sparkle as Xander went mute. Willow grinned over at her girlfriend.

Buffy looked down at Spike and leaned in, brushing his hair back with her hand. "Wake up, Spike--not your time to leave yet..."

"Buffy?" he whispered so faintly that only she heard him as she leaned in close.

"Hey," she grinned at him as he opened his eyes.

He smiled and leaned into her palm when she placed it to the side of his face. "I should've told you..."

"Tell me a way to stop it," she said sure of herself.

Spike shook his head slightly and slowly brought his hand to rest on top of hers. "My brave Slayer... always trying... to save... the ones she loves."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She wondered years after that happened how she could go from being self confident about her new found Slayer abilities to total despair as she watched his head fall to the side, his hand drop from hers and his chest slowly started to sink in.

She heard herself scream his name, shake him a bit, slap him some more, she heard Dawn pleading with him, shaking his legs.

She heard her son's voice screaming 'I want my daddy." But Giles was pulling him away, letting her take the limp body in her arms, she rocked her vampire back and forth continued telling him how she loved him and how he had to come back he now had a family.

I remember it all like it was today. It still sends chills up my spine.

I wanted to hate him all over that time he was away--though she never told me, I knew she still loved him, even after all those years she thought he was dead.

William's screaming 'Daddy come back' was an echo in my mind, like one of those sea shells you place against your ear and let the waves tell you tales of drowning heroes as they whispered their dying goodbyes to the sea.

I wanted to hate Buffy for never telling me about Spike and about William and about all the little messes in her life that were not important yet changed her life forever.

I also wanted to run away from that room--it seemed like the most intimate of moments, the last moment you have with a person you love, that last kiss, those last words, that last 'I love you'.

I turned my face from the scene as I heard Lugo softly singing a soft native song about dying heroes and the legacy they left behind--they bid him safe passage to the other side and I wanted to remind them that a soulless creature does not go to heaven. A soulless creature doesn't leave a woman he loves behind, leave her weeping, and I know Willow and me won't be able to get her back from this one.

I wanted to bang my head against the hospital wall until I found the answer for me feeling sorry for him and her, for me wanting as much as everyone in that room for him to open his eyes and say he was joking--that was I could pummel him for being the bastard he's always been.

And somehow I think God definitely heard my prayer because slow minutes passed before Buffy jumped back from his body and screamed.

His heart was beating.

~~~

TBC....


	26. Room 627

**Room 627**--part 24 of _The Island of Galleno_ _(Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.)_

by Isabelle

Rating: R (for cursing, mild nudity, adult situations and violence)

Disclaimers: BTVS belong to Joss Whedon, ME, and UPN they are being used for entertainment, I don't own them. The Count of Monte Cristo belongs to Alexandre Dumas--Spike's journey was taken from the idea of the book and is used in the skeleton of the Series. Lyrics in this chapter are the Series' Song- Bryan Adams' All for Love.

Summary: The moment that Spike finally has Buffy he is vamp-napped by Riley and a new officer, Jack Marshall and sent to the Island of Galleno off the Moroccan coast where all the leftovers of the Initiative are being placed. Buffy frantically looks for Spike but gets news that he was 'accidentally killed' by Jack, who decides to make Sunnydale his residence. The whole thing is Spike trying to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy thinking he's dead. It's filled with exotic places, tons of Original Characters, mysticism, enchantment, magic and love. It takes him years to find out who he is before he can find the one he loves.

Spoilers: Set after Normal Again, Season 6

Feedback: bih80reviews@yahoo.com 

Archiving: Carnal Sins, DeathMarkedLove, and Only Time--all others please ask.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_When it's love you give   
(I'll be a man of good faith.)  
Then in love you live.   
I'll make a stand. I won't break._

"Why do we have to go see him before we leave?" William asked, tugging his turtle neck.

"Because," she said patiently. "...and you don't have to see him if you don't want to."

William studied his reflection in the mirror. "I don't want to ever see him, mommy."

Buffy smiled. "Ok, you really don't want to."

He smiled a bit and tugged his neckline once more. "Leave it alone." Buffy told him, slapping his little hand away.

"It's hot!" he protested.

"It's cold in the plane."

"We're not in the plane now!" he insisted.

She sighed, counting her blessings. "We'll soon be."

Her son frowned. "Is daddy going to come?"

Buffy laughed. "Of course."

He looked down at his shoes and kicked at a fallen pillow.

"Ok, what's eating you up?" she asked, sitting on the bed and pulling him on her lap. He rested his combed head on her shoulder.

"He hardly speaks anymore..."

Buffy kissed the top of his head. "We have to give him time, my love. Getting humanity and a soul at the same time is really hard for him."

"I know, you told me, uncle Xander told me, Aunt Willow and Aunt Tara told me, Aunt Dawn told me, and Grandpa Giles told also."

"Then there you have it," she told him softly, rocking him back and forth.

"I wish he would feel better already, I wanted to show him my drawing the other day but he was asleep... again..."

"Why don't you go check if he's ready, huh?" she asked him.

William sighed and got off her lap, tugging his turtle neck and huffing.

He walked down the large hall and stood in front of the large door. Taking a deep breath he reached up and turned the large gold knob.

The room inside the was dark but the bathroom light was on, he could feel his father in there.

He walked quietly to the door frame and looked up at him.

Spike was dressed just like him with a hellish gray turtleneck and black slacks.

"Daddy? Mommy wants to know if you're ready." he asked softly.

Spike stopped staring at himself in the mirror and looked down at his son. The little boy was still tugging his neck line and looking around nervously.

"Yeah, I am."

"Okay," William said softly then turned to tell his mom.

Spike watched his slumped shoulders as he walked away and guilt stabbed him once more. He was rejecting and ignoring his son once more.

_I'll be the rock you can build on,   
be there when you're old, to have and to hold.   
When there's love inside I swear   
I'll always be strong. then there's a reason why._

"William!"

The boy stopped and turned to look at him, a little hope in those blue eyes. "Yes, Daddy?"

Spike gulped loudly and took a deep breath. "C'mere."

He looked confused but took little steps towards him, until he was standing in front of him. Spike bent down to be eye to eye with the blond.

"Listen..." God this was hard. "I know I haven't been..."

"Happy?" William helped after there was an awkward silence between them.

"Yeah..."

"If you're not happy with us here..." William started.

"No--no!!" Spike shook his head and placed his hand on the little boys shoulders. But when he looked at William there were large tears building up in his eyes.

"What's this?" Spike asked him.

The little bottom lip trembled. Then the water works broke. "You don't love us anymore!!"

Spike was struck still as he watched his son sob, hiding his face in his little hands which did nothing to hide the tears that were sparkling in the air.

So he did what any father would do, he scooped him up in his strong arms and hugged him against he chest. William hiccupped and grabbed his neck, holding on to dear life, burying his head in his dad's shoulder.

"I love you," he whispered softly against the shaking head.

He turned when he heard his bedroom door opened, Buffy came in, dressed in a white pant suit, her short hair beautifully and classically styled.

_I'll prove to you we belong.   
I'll be the wal that protects you   
From the wind and the rain,   
From the hurt and pain._

She watched the scene and smiled, walking up to them.

"We'll talk later," she told him. "The limo is waiting."

Spike nodded and followed her out of the room. By the time they had walked downstairs, greeted Giles, and loaded themselves into the car William was sound asleep in his father's arms.

And so was Giles, snoring loudly on their trip to San Jose.

Spike cradled William in his arms, kissing his forehead once in a while.

Buffy had taken off his little glasses and had cuddled up to Spike.

"You see, the thing is that he's been waiting for you all his life. I know you're having a hard time adjusting that's why I haven't mentioned it to you."

"But Buffy, he's really 'urt."

She smiled up at him and kissed him lightly in the lips. "Just be there for him, it'll all turn out okay."

"Yeah?" he asked smiling a bit.

"Yeah," she whispered and kissed him once more.

In his arms William stirred and yawned. "Are we there yet?"

"Nope," Spike told him, helping him sit up and pressing him against his chest.

Buffy took his small glasses from her purse and perched them on his nose.

"Almost there, though," she told him.

William snuggled further into Spike's chest, listening to how his heart beat against his ear. "Tell me a story."

Spike took a deep. "A story?"

"And without a happy ending!"

"You wanna cry?" Buffy asked, smirking.

"A scary story!" he insisted.

"Oh no!" she put in.

"There was once a vampire--" Spike started, smirking at Buffy.

"Yeah!!" William encouraged.

"No! Then he'll come crawling to our bed, scared." she reminded him.

Spike was about to continue when he got an image of him and Buffy going at it in their bed when a knock would make them take deep breath and console a crying William.

"Change of plans--Once upon a time..."

"No!!"

Buffy grinned.

From across the limo Giles pretended to be asleep, looking from under half closed eye lids as the small family argued good naturedly but then proceeded and cuddled when Spike began the story of a princess who was chosen to protect her people from the evil monsters... until a monster won her heart becoming human in the process... and they? They lived happily ever after.

_Let's make it all for one and all for love.   
Let the one you hold be the one you want, the one you need,   
'cause when it's all for one it's one for all.   
When there's someone that should know   
Then just let your feelings show and   
Make it all for one and all for love._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He looked down at his shoes and then back up at her.

"So..."

She sighed. "Ricardo, just..."

"Go?"

Dawn nodded, looking down herself.

Lugo nodded and bit his lip. "Do you want me to write?"

"No..." she looked back up at him. "It's better this way."

"Right..."

The last flight call caught his attention.

"I have to go," he said softly.

Dawn nodded.

_When it's love you make   
I'll be the fire in your night.   
Then it's love you take.   
I will defend, I will fight._

He was going to walk away but then turned and pulled her into his arms. She sagged against his chest and smelled him in.

"Tell me to stay," he whispered against her hair.

"I can't... it's not right."

He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

But she couldn't say it back, she simply pulled back and waved.

He gave her a last sad smile and away.

She watched until he boarded the planw, until the plane took off then sagged against one of the airport chairs.

She was doing the right thing--they were doing the right thing, she cursed. This right thing was a hard thing to do.

Without further thought she pulled the phone from her coat pocket and dialed the familiar number.

A groggy voice answered the phone.

"Hey! it's me," she smiled.

"Well... I though you had forgotten about me," he smiled.

"Nahhh... listen, do you mind me coming over with some ice cream and girly movies?"

"Break up?" he asked.

"More like left up...he was married, it's a long story."

Connor laughed. "Bring 3 films, this might take all night."

"I'll be there in a few."

_I'll be there when you need me.   
When honor's at stake, this vow I will make:  
that it's all for one and all for love._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In San Diego, California a small blonde nodded her head as the doctor explained the situation to her.

"I'm sorry you can't see him, Ms. Summers, but today has not been a good day."

The blonde nodded and put on her sunglasses. "I'll be reaching Delhi tonight and don't expect to return--you understand if I never come back to see him?"

"Of course, and you said Mr. Angel would come once in a while to 'privately' meet with him once a year?" the doctor asked her.

"Yes, and make sure he's well drugged. We don't want Mr. Angel being hurt while visiting him, would we?"

"As you wish, Ms. Summers."

The blonde smiled and walked out of his office, out of the building and into the waiting limo.

Seven stories up, in Room 627 a man in a straight jacket looked at the wall and thumped his head once more.

"Jack, why don't we start from the beginning?"

He turned from the wall and looked at the spectacles before him.

"I've told you everything!"

"Tell me once more, Jack," the man coaxed softly.

Jack sighed and threw his head back. "I am Jack Marshall, I work for a government secret branch. They were once called the Initiative."

"And your marriage, tell me about your marriage."

"Buffy Summers is the vampire slayer--a girl chosen from her generation to fight against the forces of darkness."

"So your.. ex-wife is a ... vampire slayer?"

"That's what I've been telling you!" he cried.

"And she left you for a ..."

"A vampire, William the Bloody, I've said this already."

"I see," the doctor noted and scribbled in his paper.

"And William..."

"William is their damn spawn." Jack said, bored out of his mind.

"The son you tried to kill?"

"I was going to kill my wife when the brat came running up to me!" Jack cried and started banging his head against the wall once more.

The doctor watched patiently as his tantrum continued.

"There are vampires and demons and hell gods and all types of creatures out there!" he cried as he thumped his head.

"No, Mr. Marshall--there are no vampires and your wife is not a vampire slayer, you understand?" the doctor said softly, leaning forward.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "I am not crazy!"

"Of course, not, Mr. Marshall," the doctor stood up and smiled down at Jack, watching him as he scratched the completely healed scar on his cheek with his shoulder.

The doctor walked out, the head banging began once more, the iron door closing behind the man.

"Anything new, Doctor Wyndham-Pryce?"

He shook his head. "I shall be leaving now, thank you for the opportunity to examine the patient. And the newest story is that Mr. Angel is also a vampire."

The other man snorted. "Still highly delusional I see..." he looked back to where Jack was now trying to get out of his straight jacket. "Such a sad case... schizophrenia is never something easy to deal with... I'll inform the Senator of his progress.

"Very well, have a nice day Dr. Minko."

Wesley watched as the other man walked away and smiled, looked back at Jack and let the guard escort him out of the building.

~~~~~~~

_Don't lay our love to rest 'cause   
We could stand up to you test.   
We got everything and more than   
We had planned, more than the rivers that run the land.   
We've got it all in our hands._

The air was chilly down here--25 feet under the ground. Twenty five feet under the flat ground that was all that was left of the small island that had been his home.

"Twenty five," he whispered to himself, then drew out the shovel from the bag he was carrying. he started digging in, taking earth from where it was, tossing it behind him.

Until he hit something hard and hollow--like a wooden box.

He hit it with his shovel once more and smirked when it responded with it's presence.

He bent down and reached through the dirt for the box. Holding on to one of the edges and started pulling at it.

After some struggle he pulled it out completely. The small wooden box was about twelve inches wide and five inches thick. There was a lock in the front of it. Spike took his hammer and brought it down, smartly--letting the lock clank on the floor.

He sat back down and slowly opened the box. Inside was a letter, folded neatly.

Spike turned on his flashlight, missing for the first time his vampiric night vision.

William,

Of all the things I've told you, remember this the most. Live life, live it to the fullest because before you know it'll be gone.

By the way--how is that blood pressure working for you?

Love, Archibald

Spike chuckled and cursed the old vampire under his breath. He put the note aside and pulled out the other object from the box.

He looked down at the thick and heavy book. It was titled.

_The Watcher Diaries of Archibald DeLuca (1645-2002)_

_When there's someone that should know   
Then just let your feelings show.   
When there's someone that you want,   
When there's someone that you need   
Let's make it all, all for one and all for love._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE END

Author's Note: Ok, I have a long list of people to thank so bear with me. The first thanks goes to my Beta, Heller who is completely awesome and deserves so much credit for working her butt off with the fic *xoxox* Another hug to Hilary who always encouraged me in the writing--she's an angel. My posters at Crumbling Walls for their feedback and keeping my mood high enough to write something a bit different. All those people who faithfully tell me they enjoyed the fiction, I always enjoy chatting with you guys, thanks :o) And last but not least to the ladies of BBB for making me promise to make a happy ending--you see, Niteall, I can do it *g* Thanks guy--there will be no sequel, I think I like it when you guys think of the endless possibilities of our little family.


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